Tipping the Balance
by LizzeXX
Summary: Anakin/OC - When Master Obi-Wan Kenobi decides his Padawan, Anakin Skywalker, is not suited to help him guard Senator Amidala, Anakin returns to the Jedi Temple for more training where he encounters Amira-Tal, another Padawan, that will help shape his future and tip the precarious balance of the Force. But shall it be tipped towards the light or the dark? First in the Jedi Codex.
1. A Disturbance in the Force

A/N: Hello :) So...this is my first attempt at a Star Wars story and is the first story in the Jedi Codex series :) I've written some other stories for TV shows and movies, but this will be my first attempt at the Star Wars movies and trying to incorporate an original character into it. So, just to get this out of the way so you know what you're getting into and can decide if you'd like to keep going, this story will be Anakin/OC. I love Padmé, and I think she is a wonderful character, a strong woman, and a brilliant leader, I'm just curious to try my hand at a Jedi/Jedi paring, if it is possible to make it even slightly realistic in the context of the Jedi Universe at this point in time.

This story and the next one to follow will be based largely on the movies. I have seen all six and am very excited for the new ones to come. This story will be about 10 chapters long, updated daily, sometimes with 2 chapters in one day, and will be deviate a bit from the movie after this first chapter, and then come to a close back to the movie in the end. I plan to do 1 story per movie, but only Episode II and III. How I plan this series to go might require it to end on Episode III, but if we get there and I've done a decent job keeping true to the spirit of the Star Wars universe as I hope to do, I might consider continuing later into the main trilogy.

So...there we have it :) Anakin/OC, based on the movies, and I offer my sincerest apologies if I write anything that is OOC or out of place, please feel free to tell me so that I can work to fix it. I know that Star Wars has some of the most loyal, serious, and amazing followers and the last thing I want to do is insult anyone or ruin anything :) This is just my attempt to explore what might have happened had a Jedi become the object of Anakin's eye instead of Padmé.

So...if that hasn't completely turned you off attempting to read this story, all that's left to say is...

I hope you enjoy :)

~8~ is a scene break

Disclaimer...I don't own Star Wars...otherwise I wouldn't have had to get a degree in Accounting :)

~8~

A Disturbance in the Force

Younglings moved out of the way as Anakin stalked down the halls, everyone able to tell he was in a foul mood from his latest meeting with his Master. None of them wanted to risk incurring his ire, able to sense the Force around him swirling in irritation, rolling off him in waves of exasperation. However, had they paid more attention to the Force, they'd have sensed another presence nearing him and would have warned them away.

Anakin had just turned a corner…when someone not only crashed into him, but grabbed his arm, using the momentum of the run to twist it lightly, not painfully, behind his back as they proceeded to hide behind it, more like they were gripping his hand than trying to trap his arm so he sensed not a danger or threat from the sudden assault.

He tried to look over his shoulder, only managing to see the top of the head of the person who had nearly barreled into him, but it was enough to make out that it was one of the females.

Her hair was blonde, held back in a ponytail, a Padawan's braid dangling down the side of her face. As if she could feel him staring at her, she shifted, resting her chin on his back, revealing her eyes to be gray and sparkling with just a hint of exhaustion but one he easily recognized from his own when he finished a good training session or managed to outdo his Master in some event or another. Tiring, but worth it. There was a small, light splattering of freckles along her nose. He twisted more, trying to turn to face her and get out of her hold but only succeeded in seeing she was wearing the typical Padawan training attire in a light gray, almost sandy coloring, a lightsaber hilt in her other hand, clearly having just come from a duel of some kind. But what really struck him was that…she was…smirking, her pale pink lips quirked up on the side.

"What are you…" he began.

"Stop talking Skywalker!" she cut him off.

He opened his mouth to tell her to let go of him and explain what she was doing…only to look back down the hall as he heard stomping and saw three other Padawan boys around his own age and hers running towards him.

"Where is she?!" one demanded, which made Anakin lift an eyebrow at the tone of the boy's voice. He was flushed, angry, almost…vengeful, not a good trait in a Jedi.

"Who?"

"Amira-Tal!"

Anakin blinked, feeling the girl squeeze his hand and tense behind him, so that was her name. For some reason he couldn't name, he found himself glancing down at himself quickly, thankful he was still wearing his billowing brown, outer robes as they blocked the girl behind him, her squeezing herself inward helped hide her as well as the fact she was half a head shorter than him.

"Why are you seeking her?" he inquired, "Has she wronged you in some way?"

If it was a justified reason why these three boys were after her, he didn't want to get caught in the middle.

"She cheated!" one of the other boys declared.

"In what?"

"Our duel," the middle boy huffed, "She cheated, used underhanded tricks, and…"

"Beat you?" Anakin finished, trying to keep the amusement out of his voice, clearing his throat when he heard the girl behind him give the lowest of chuckles to cover up the sound, "She went that way," he jerked a thumb to the side, in the direction he'd just been coming from.

The boys nodded, thanking him, before hurrying off, Anakin turning with them to watch them go, waiting till they were out of sight around a corner before speaking, "They're gone."

Amira put a hand on his shoulder and straightened out to peer over his arm, double checking, before she let out a breath, resting her head on his shoulder a moment, much to his amusement, his anger from just before seeming to vanish at her antics, "Thank you, Skywalker," she lifted her head again, her chin on his shoulder now, "If I can repay you somehow for your help…"

"You could let go of my arm," he told her pointedly, "I'm starting to lose feeling in it."

She nodded but, instead of merely stepping back and releasing his hand, she ducked down around the side of him so she was standing before him, shaking his hand instead, "Amira-Tal."

"I worked that out, thanks," Anakin remarked dryly, taking his hand back after a moment, not bothering to introduce himself as she clearly knew who he was, "What really happened?"

"When?"

He blinked at her and pointed down the hall towards where the boys had disappeared, "Did you truly cheat during your duel?"

She let out a huff, suddenly angry, crossing her arms before her chest, "No!" she denied vehemently, "I used no such underhanded tricks. I won fair and square, some boys just don't like when a girl beats them at a saber duel."

"I recognize one of them," Anakin looked down the hall, "He is admirably skilled with a lightsaber…"

"I did not cheat!" she ground out at the lingering implication.

"Then how did you beat him?"

"_I practice_," she said firmly, "I practice with my saber as much as I can, more than I probably should…"

Other areas of skill had fallen to the wayside in that sense. Her Master had always encouraged her to excel in what she put her mind to, but it would be a lie to say that she hadn't noticed her Padawan struggling in a few areas. So she had offered advice that Amira had taken to heart, if you cannot master everything, be sure to master one thing. So she practiced, as hard as she could, every chance she got, with her lightsaber and it paid off. She was exceptional in it, her Master would agree. Absolutely horrid in just about everything else, her hand-eye coordination was abysmal, her Master would not trust her with any sort of power pistol or the like. Up close, in close combat with her lightsaber, her aim and coordination was exceptional, but her eyes couldn't seem to connect targets at a distance to her brain and hand when she was relying on a weapon like that. Her senses as well could be more attuned, her use of the Force for jumping and moving could be better, focusing the Force to her telekinesis and the mind tricks left something to be desired. She lacked focus more than anything, meditating was her weakness, she could hardly sit still or think that long about nothing at all to organize her thoughts the way her Master kept trying to show her.

But she was at least good with a lightsaber, her one redeeming quality, she was exceptionally skilled there she focused so much time on it.

Anakin eyed her critically at that, "Care to demonstrate?"

She tilted her head slightly as though trying to determine his intention, before smiling and nodding.

~8~

Anakin let out an undignified huff as his back hit the floor of the training room only to find a lightsaber directed at his neck, the light blue color of it causing soft light to reflect off his own uniform, before he followed the length of it up to the bitten nails of the hand that gripped it, and further up to Amira as she smiled down at him, seemingly very pleased with herself.

"What do you think?" she asked, seeming almost on the edge of buzzing from the workout of the duel, small beads of sweat on her forehead, her face flushed.

It had been a hard duel, quite fun for both parties…after Anakin realized not to underestimate her. He had truly thought that she HAD cheated in her earlier duel, but merely minutes dueling with her had thrown those notions from his mind. He could see it in how she moved, in how she focused and fought that she truly did spend an inordinate amount of time training with her saber and had been quick not to let his guard down. He…couldn't remember a duel that left him as winded and pride-wounded as this one, not even with his own Master.

"You do cheat," he stated flatly.

Amira frowned at that, huffing as she pulled her saber away and held a hand down to him instead, "I do not."

With her guard down, he moved to swing his leg at her own, intending to knock her down, but she seemed to expect that as she jumped up, avoiding his leg.

"And you say _I _cheat?" she scoffed, pulling her hand away to rest on her hip, "You aren't the first to try that Skywalker. Two times, that's all, two times I fall for it before I make sure I don't ever again. You're a bit late."

"Have they ever tried this then?" he quickly flicked his hand at the wrist, this time managing to knock her leg out from under her with the Force…

Which only succeeded in causing her to topple down on top of him, winding him yet again, though this time from a rather sharp elbow to his ribs from the unexpected fall.

"Ow!" he winced, closing his eyes as his face scrunched in pain, his hand flying to where her elbow had gotten him, sure that he was going to have quite the bruise there when this was over.

"Serves you right, Skywalker," Amira huffed, blowing a few errant strands of her hair from her eyes that had fallen out of its bindings mid-duel.

"Can you get off of me?!" he opened his eyes to glare at her. She'd fallen on him yet made no move to actually get OFF him.

"No," she crossed her arms over his chest, her own eyes narrowed at him, "You want to knock me down, this is the consequence. You…"

Whatever she was about to say was cut off when the door to the training room slid open and a woman stood there, one of the Knights, Neeva if Anakin recognized her correctly. She was quite short, he would wager even shorter than Amira, her hair a bright red, eyes brown, her face aged. He couldn't make out what she was wearing past her brown robe, but she was crossing her arms and looking at Amira more pointedly than at him.

"Padawan," the woman began, her voice deep and raspy.

"Master," Amira nodded her head at the woman.

The woman took a deep breath, "Amira, need I ask what has happened now?"

"Padawan Skywalker resorted to underhanded tricks, he must learn not to."

"Well his punishment will have to wait till later," the woman sighed, "Anakin, your Master wishes to speak to you. He has been looking for you."

Anakin nodded and moved to get up, but Amira pointedly refused to move, sending him a challenging look, as though daring him to push her off him…which he did, easily, and got to his feet. Though he paused, letting out a breath before he turned and held a hand out to her to help her up, "I apologize," he told her, "For cheating, after assuming you cheated."

Amira smiled at that, "I accept your apology," she nodded, "I hope we might duel again. This was…" she trailed off, not quite sure what word would fit. Fun? Good practice? Fierce? Tiring? Worthwhile? All of it seemed to fit.

But Anakin seemed to feel the same as he gave her a nod, bowing more to her Master before heading out of the room.

"You should not distract him, Amira," her Master warned, stepping more into the room as Anakin left, the door sliding shut behind her.

"It was not a distraction," Amira put her hands before her, standing attentively as her Master spoke, "It was practice. We were just dueling."

"And you seem to have had a good time of it," Neeva eyed her, taking in her rather exhausted but pleased expression, "You will be very sore tomorrow, however," she could see Amira's hand shaking as it held the lightsaber, sighing at the sight. Her Padawan enjoyed saber practice, often pushed herself far too hard when it came to it, she often worried for the girl pushing herself so much in her practices and training, "Which is why it is, perhaps, a good thing that Obi-Wan has been called away, he and his Padawan."

"Called away, Master?" Amira frowned, starting to grow tense, "Has something happened?"

Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi had just returned from border dispute on Ansion, to be called away again and so quickly, so soon after returning…

"These are…dark times, Amira," Neeva began, gesturing Amira to her, locking arms with her Padawan as they left the room and began to walk down the halls, Amira's focus entirely on her Master's face, paying attention to what she might divulge, "You are aware of the growing unrest with the Republic, talk of creating an army, something which would…undoubtedly be seen as an act of war. We have been trying to keep peace as best we can, but even we are not all-knowing nor so wide-spread. Senator Amidala was nearly assassinated," she gave Amira a firm look to not say a word about that particular woman.

It was…a hushed but common knowledge among most of the Jedi that Anakin had developed an attachment to the woman, Padmé, while he was younger, just before he started his training under Obi-Wan, they did not speak of it, but Anakin was not exactly quite about his thoughts on the woman, letting them slip out from time to time.

"Obi-Wan has been called in to help to guard the Senator. He shall be taking his Padawan with him."

"Is that…" Amira hesitated, "Forgive me, Master, but is that wise? To reintroduce him to the one that has so clouded his thoughts?"

Neeva smiled smally at that, "Obi-Wan has expressed the same concerns to me when we were speaking, before he asked if I had seen his Padawan only to realize that mine was strangely missing as well," she gave Amira a firm look, the girl looking down as she was well aware she'd been very late to meet with her Master once again.

"My apologies, Master," she murmured, "It will not happen again."

Neeva's smile grew more fond, "We both know that is quite the lie."

Amira's lips quirked up at that, "I…fear, Master," she began after a moment.

Neeva stopped walking, turning in the empty hall to face her Padawan, "Fear what?"

Amira bit her lip, "I have been trying…to meditate more, as you requested," she bowed her head, still slightly embarrassed that she needed so much practice on what all Padawans were taught from such an early age to be able to do, "But…every time I attempt to, my mind turns…I know not where, but it makes me hesitant to continue. I feel as though there is a darkness pressing upon the Force," she murmured, her voice growing quieter, "I am not…exemplary at meditation nor at…sensing most things, but if _I_ am feeling this…it makes me frightened for what is to come."

"You must not fear, my Padawan," Neeva reached up to touch Amira's face with both her hands, "Fear leads to Anger. Anger to…"

"Hate," she finished for her Master, "And Hate to the Dark Side," she nodded, "I shall try not to fear, Master."

"Push through your fear in your meditations," Neeva instructed, "Find something that calms your mind and removes the fear beforehand and then attempt your meditations. Is there nothing that has taken your mind from these thoughts?"

Amira nodded, hesitant though it was, "Dueling," she offered, "It…clears my mind, forces me to focus only on what is happening before me in that moment, I cannot think of the darkness or the fear when I am dueling."

"Then we shall duel, the two of us, before we meditate for the time being," Neeva nodded, turning, linking her arm with her Padawan again as they continued on.

Amira was quiet, not wanting to speak that…it was not just dueling that took her mind off the darkness and fear and the lingering stressful thoughts, she had dueled with many but none of them offered the challenge and the push she needed to truly be able to let go of her fear. Not…not even dueling with her Master did such a thing for instruction was often called out mid-duel to help better herself, taunts and jeers and even encouragements were thrown when she fought her fellow Padawans, which all left little time for her to let her mind drift and her body take control. No, it wasn't just dueling.

It was dueling with Anakin, he was quiet and focused, he pushed her without saying a word, she offered him a challenge. But it would be selfish to wish that Anakin might stay while his Master went off on this mission, no, selfishness had no place in a Jedi. She could only allow herself to hope that the mission went well and was fulfilled with all the dignity worthy of a Jedi.

~8~

Obi-Wan Kenobi sat before a small comm. of the shuttle he and his Padawan apprentice, Anakin, were taking towards the Senate Building where Padmé Amidala would be waiting for them. He glanced over at Anakin who was up towards the pilot's compartment, watching them fly, asking questions about the craft and ordinates and other mechanics of it all, leaving him a rare moment of privacy.

"I am…uncertain," he admitted, looking down at the small 3D projection of another Jedi Knight with a Padawan nearly Anakin's age, Neeva, an old friend of his, one of the Jedi he had actually trained with himself as a Padawan, "About how this will progress."

"You are a worthy Jedi, Obi-Wan," Neeva reassured him, "This is not something you have not done in the past, this is not something you cannot handle."

"It's not me I'm concerned about," his gaze flickered to Anakin and back, "If it were any other Senator I would not fear so but…"

"It is Padmé," Neeva nodded, "I know, you told me," she smiled softly, lightly teasing him about all the times that he had complained to her about Anakin and his almost-obsession with Padmé Amidala. It had been more understandable, when he had been younger and just starting to train, he had just left his mother and Padmé had been one of the women there, around his age, and had helped free him from his slave status on Tatooine. But now, for it to have lingered so many years…it was becoming worrying.

"I don't know what to do," he sighed, rubbing his face, "Anakin is reckless and unpredictable, and…Padmé is…" he shook his head, not even sure what the woman was to a boy who hadn't seen her in 10 years, "I fear what he shall do. He always wishes to prove himself and, often, he oversteps himself."

"Obi-Wan…" Neeva began, not entirely sure if she should say what she wished.

"Please," Obi-Wan cut in, giving her a look, recognizing her expression, "I would not have sought your counsel if I was not willing to listen."

Neeva let out a long breath, "Perhaps you should be more harsh in your punishments when he DOES overstep himself. I have seen many a Master with a male Padawan need to do the same. The girls, they seem to listen more, to take our threats to…remove them from an operation, seriously. The boys are headstrong, they need proof that what you threaten WILL happen if they do not listen."

"You believe I should send him away?" Obi-Wan frowned.

Neeva nodded "IF he proves himself to be reckless or…attempts to exceed the parameters of your assignment, or proves himself incapable of holding himself with what the Council would expect of a Jedi…then yes, perhaps you should send him back here. Master Windu requested YOU, Obi-Wan, you chose to take your Padawan with you in this, knowing it would be dangerous with the Senator there."

Obi-Wan had to nod at that, "You are right, Neeva."

"I often am," she smiled, "I trust you will make the right decision, regardless of it all, Obi-Wan, you ARE a good teacher and your Padawan is exceptional. Though…"

"What?" he frowned.

"Even MY Padawan can tell he may need a dose of humility," she laughed, "Apparently they were dueling before and he tripped her after she had already won. She refused to get off of him, where she fell, as a…how did she phrase it, lesson to 'learn not to use underhanded tricks.'"

Obi-Wan chuckled at that, looking up when he saw Anakin sticking his head back into the compartment, "We are almost there, Master," Anakin reported.

Obi-Wan nodded and waited till Anakin left once more before turning to Neeva, "I thank you for your advice, I shall consider it deeply, my friend."

"If you need any help, Obi-Wan, any at all, please contact me," she offered, "You may be an incredible Jedi Knight, but not even you can do everything on your own."

Obi-Wan gave her another nod before ending the transmission, sitting back for a moment and taking a deep breath, hoping that this would go better than he was fearing it would.

~8~

Obi-Wan glanced over at his Padawan as they stood in a windowed elevator attached to the outside of the Senate Building, taking the quick ride up to near the top level where many of the Senators had apartments. Anakin was shifting nervously beside him, checking and rechecking his saber on his waist, straightening his robes, pushing a hand through his hair…

He had to sigh at that, "You seem a little on edge, Anakin," he remarked, sincerely hoping he was misreading all of this.

"Not at all," Anakin cleared his throat.

"I haven't felt you this tense since we fell into that nest of gundarks," he smirked.

Anakin laughed at that, "You fell into that nightmare, Master, and I rescued you, remember?

"Oh yeah," he joined in the laughter, but sobered quickly when he noticed something else about his Padawan, "You're sweating. Relax. Take a deep breath…"

"I haven't seen her in ten years, Master," Anakin admitted.

Obi-Wan frowned at that, at the tone in Anakin's voice, "She's not the Queen anymore, Anakin," he told the boy, testing his Padawan a bit, hoping that THAT would be the reason he was nervous, to be faced with a Queen and not WHICH (former) Queen it was.

"That's not why I'm nervous," Anakin breathed.

Obi-Wan's frown deepened at that, but the doors to the elevator opened, allowing them into the apartments reserved just for Padmé Amidala, revealing as well an old friend, one Jar Jar Binks dressed in fine Senatorial robes.

"Obi!" the Gungan cheered when he caught sight of the two men stepping out of the elevator, "Obi! Obi! Meesa so smilen to seein yousa! Wahooooo!"

Obi-Wan had to grin at that, it had been too long since he had seen the Gungan, he'd almost forgotten how excitable he could be, "It's good to see you, too, Jar Jar."

Jar Jar grinned widely and turned, his eyes widening when he caught sight of the young man beside Obi-Wan, "...and this, I take it, is your apprentice...no!" he gasped, "Ani? No! Little bitty Ani?" he started to look between Obi-Wan and Anakin as though he wasn't sure if Obi-Wan were tricking him, but it was, it was little Anakin Skywalker all grown up, "No! Yousa so biggen! Yiyiyiyi! Ani!"

"Hi, Jar Jar," Anakin flushed a bit at the use of his mother's old nickname for him, 'Ani,' it made him sound like a little girl he grumbled now.

Jar Jar just leapt forward and pulled him into a tight hug, "Shesa expecting yousa. Ani..." he shook his head, pulling away to look at Anakin fully, "Mesa no believen! Come! Come!" he shouted, waving them on and leading them down the hall towards Padmé's rooms, "Mesa here!" he announced to the woman as she sat in on a small conversation with one of her handmaidens and another man in military garb, "Lookie, lookie Senator. Desa Jedi arriven!"

Obi-Wan spared one single glance at his Padawan as they entered the room and Padmé and her companions stood. Anakin was just staring at her, making him let out a hard breath. This had been a terrible mistake.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, M'Lady," Obi-Wan gave her a small bow.

Padmé just smiled and moved over to him, taking his hands with a wide grin, "It has been far too long Master Kenobi. I'm so glad our paths have crossed again...but I must warn you that I think your presence here is unnecessary," she added seriously.

Obi-Wan let out a chuckle at that, "I'm sure the Jedi Council has their reasons."

Padmé gave a small nod to that and glanced at Anakin, her eyes widening, "Ani?" she blinked, shaking her head, "My goodness, you've grown."

Obi-Wan's expression grew grim as he watched them stare at each other a moment, Anakin seeming far too pleased that Padmé was remarking on how he was older now.

"So have you," Anakin spoke, his voice deepening in what Obi-Wan would have thought of as a comical thing had Anakin not pledge himself to the Order with all that entailed, had this sort of thing that Anakin was attempting been acceptable, but it was not, "Grown more beautiful, I mean," Obi-Wan's lips pursed at that, "And much shorter...for a Senator, I mean," he started to flush at that.

Obi-Wan gave him a disapproving look that had Anakin looking down.

Padmé laughed it off, "Oh Ani, you'll always be that little boy I knew on Tatooine."

Obi-Wan had to smile at that, a little relieved, but it was short lived when he caught sight of the look on Padmé's face, one that told him she was only saying that because they were not alone. He had seen her staring at Anakin, he knew what such a look would do to his Padawan, it would encourage something that ought not be. This was growing far more serious an issue than he realized it would be. He had hoped, vainly it appeared, that Padmé would be unaffected by Anakin, that she would TRULY see him as just the little boy she knew 10 years ago, but his Padawan HAD grown and Padmé had certainly noticed. It would be one thing if it was just Anakin mooning over Padmé, he could discourage that, crush it down with enough time, but the looks Padmé was giving him, the little signs she gave that wouldn't escape a Jedi's notice…he couldn't do a thing about that, and if he couldn't stop Padmé as well…there was only one option left.

Though he was loathe to do it…

"Our presence will be invisible, M'Lady, I can assure you," Obi-Wan tried to speak, tried to give Anakin a subtle reminder that he was NOT to be involved with Padmé while they were there, no excessive talking, no time spent in private, nothing that would inconvenience her or make her aware of their presence.

"I'm very grateful you're here, Master Kenobi," the man that had been beside Padmé spoke, "I'm Captain Typho, head of Her Majesty's security service. Queen Jamillia has informed you of your assignment. The situation is more dangerous than the Senator will admit."

"I don't need more security," Padmé huffed, thinking on her Queen's decree that she needed more protection, "I need answers. I want to know who is trying to kill me!"

Obi-Wan frowned, "We're here to protect you Senator, not to start an investigation."

The minute the words were out of his mouth, he nearly wanted to run himself through with his lightsaber. He closed his eyes a moment, praying to himself, 'Please don't, Anakin, just this once, don't…'

"We will find out who's trying to kill you Padmé, I promise you," Anakin stated.

Obi-Wan's eyes flew open and he looked at his Padawan with blatant disapproval and disappointment, "We will not exceed our mandate, my young Padawan learner!" he stated, his voice harsh, as harsh as he could get it, trying to remind the boy that HE held the power here, HE was the master and Anakin was his apprentice. Obedience would be expected, disobedience…it would not be tolerated.

"I meant in the interest of protecting her, Master, of course," Anakin tried to amend.

But Obi-Wan's eyes narrowed as he saw Anakin smiled, not seeming at all worried about the consequences of overstepping his bounds, "We will not go through this exercise again, Anakin. And you will pay attention to my lead or you shall not like the consequences."

"Why?" Anakin frowned.

"What?!"

"Why else do you think we were assigned to protect her, if not to find the killer?" Anakin reasoned, "Protection is a job for local security...not Jedi," Obi-Wan shook his head at that, "It's overkill, Master. Investigation is implied in our mandate."

"We will do exactly as the Council has instructed," Obi-Wan sighed, before shaking his head, growing firm, Neeva's words echoing through his mind, "No…_I_ will do as the Council has instructed. It is time you learned your place, young one."

"Master?" Anakin turned to him, not sure what was happening.

"You are to return to the Temple, Anakin," Obi-Wan stated, leaving no room for argument, even his voice held that edge that even Anakin knew not to counter.

"What?! But Master…"

"No, Anakin," Obi-Wan cut in, "Until you are able to hold your tongue and act as a Jedi, you shall return to the Temple and continue your training under Master Yoda's supervision."

"Master…"

"That is FINAL, Anakin," Obi-Wan shook his head, "Until you learn your place, you are to return and stay at the Temple. Am I understood, Padawan?"

Anakin swallowed hard, his hands in fists, his face set in an expression of anger, but he nodded, practically biting out the words, "Yes Master."

Obi-Wan nodded and turned to Typho, gesturing the man to follow him and give him the layout of the security plans, doing his best to ignore the glare he could feel Anakin sending him and hoping that he had not made a dire mistake.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter :) I wanted to do a little play on the title of the series, the Jedi Codex. The Jedi Code, their Order being based on Monks and so a religious order and Codex usually referring to a collection of religious manuscripts :)

For a reference, to help picture the OC, an actress I think might be similar to her is Jessica Brooks :)


	2. Those Left Behind

Those Left Behind

Amira sat in the middle of her small room, on the floor, cross-legged, her hands resting on her knees, her eyes closed just…trying to meditate, trying to control her breathing, to clear her mind. She reached within her, trying to touch the Force, letting her senses reach out across the room. She let the calm overtake her, let herself sink into it, her senses expanding more and more, flowing out and drifting, the Force guiding her and…

Her eyes snapped open as she gasped before letting out a frustrated groan and falling back on the ground, her arms spread out wide beside her for just a moment. When she felt tears prickling the corners of her eyes she pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes as she closed them in an attempt to stem them from fully forming or falling. She just…she didn't understand! She had done everything Master Yoda had instructed when he taught the Younglings the basics of meditation, she had tried everything her Master had suggested to help her in this. She had gone to the training rooms, had practiced with her saber till the room had started to spin and retired to her room to meditate. Her body needed the rest, her mind blissfully clear of all thoughts or fear. It should have been easier than ever to meditate…

But she just couldn't seem to manage it.

And she didn't know why. She HAD been able to mediate in the past, she knew she had, she could remember it. She didn't know what had changed so much that she had more focus as a Youngling than she did now as a near-adult. It should be the opposite, with time she should have learned more patience, more discipline, more focus and now it felt like each time she attempted meditation she grew less and less, that she managed to hold it briefer and briefer.

She let her arms fall from her eyes to her sides, staring at the ceiling, her knees bent upwards as she let out a deep breath. She had a…glimmer of an idea of what was wrong, of what was causing her such difficulties but even THAT was hard to explain. Whenever she truly relaxed, let her mind open, let her senses reach through the Force…every time there was always a…flash. That was the best way she could describe it, a flash of light in her mind that startled her out of it. It wasn't even the flash itself, nothing but a blink of light really, that did the startling, but the feeling that accompanied it. She had only felt that feeling in one specific instance…her nightmares.

She wasn't one to have nightmares, nor to really dream and, if she DID dream, she hardly remembered it when she woke. But the nightmares, she remembered them. Well…not them, more…it. It was one single nightmare that she had had for as long as she could remember. She couldn't recall a time she hadn't woken in her bed from what she saw. And it was always the same thing, every time, no variation, nothing. It…it left her with such a terrible feeling that it might be a vision of what was to come. The Force, some that were adept in the ability, allowed them to glimpse the future, sense it or see it.

She was nothing of the sort though! She sat up quickly, wrapping her arms around her legs as she thought on that. She was…truly horrible at sensing things, it couldn't be a vision. She wasn't that attuned to the Force, she lacked that much focus in her waking hours, it couldn't be a vision. And she watched, she waited, but after so many years of the nightmare playing out and yet nothing even close to what she saw happening…it couldn't be a vision! It just couldn't.

She swallowed hard, resting her forehead to her knees, it…it couldn't be a vision. She didn't want it to be. What she saw? She couldn't imagine anything like it happening, not even with the unrest her Master spoke of, not even with the threat of war could what she so often dreamt come to pass. It was too…horrendous to happen. The Jedi wouldn't let it happen. They wouldn't.

She shook her head, pushing herself up, this was not going to do her any good, to sit in her room and try to meditate. She was too wound up now. She almost scoffed in exasperation at the thought, that ALWAYS happened when she tried to meditate as well. For all that it was meant to relax them and calm them, she always ended up feeling like she was in the middle of battle or training and had to be ready for any little change or charge coming at her. It was like, the longer she meditated, the more tightly wound her body became that when the flash inevitably happened, she was ready to leap to her feet and…she didn't know, defend herself? It made no sense, meditation was for peace yet all it caused her was excess energy and a feeling like she had to move and burn it off.

She looked over for her lightsaber, spotting it resting on her bed and quickly plucked it up, looking at it, contemplating. She should go train, she should, it would burn off the extra energy, perhaps help her calm down enough where she might be able to sleep at least but…she had JUST been there, for the sole purpose of doing the same, save for meditation instead of sleep. Would it be wise to go there now? Her hand was shaking with her just standing there from the weight of her lightsaber alone. And it wasn't all that heavy. She bit her lip, thinking on it, she just…she needed something comforting, familiar. She needed something that made her feel safe and the saber did. She did not wish to be arrogant, it would not do for a Jedi to be so, but she was aware she was skilled with a saber, that she could hold her own in a duel. It made her feel in control and protected, to know she could protect herself.

Because all she felt in that nightmare was such a terrible fear and helplessness that she just…she needed to know she WASN'T that. So she nodded, deciding. If her Master wasn't there to help her work through her meditation or improve on her other lacking skills, then she might as well get more practice with her saber in.

Practice never hurt.

~8~

Amira walked quietly and briskly through the halls of the Temple, silently observing the various other Padawans of differing ages and species walking about with their Masters of the same. She paused to watch Master Yoda leading the Younglings along as he conducted one of their lessons and couldn't help but give a small smile at the sight. What she would not give to be a Youngling again and not left fretting about so many things. Her meditations, her other skills, the darkness pressing on the Force, the unrest in the Republic, her trials, her Master, and so many other things that the children were unconcerned with. She let out a sad sigh and turned, heading down the corridors, moving towards the training rooms…only to stop when she actually reached them.

A frown settled onto her face, more of confusion than any other emotion as her eyes traveled to one room in particular. She could…feel something. She could sense something. It wasn't even that she hadn't expected anyone to be there, because she did. The training rooms were always open to Master and Padawan alike and were often occupied. She knew there was likely someone there, a few people at least, in the other rooms. But, in another way, she truly HADN'T expected to sense anyone. She really…she wasn't the most attuned, not yet, despite hers and her Master's best efforts. At times someone could actually sneak up behind her and she might not sense them till they were too close. Something very bad all things considered for being a Jedi. She knew she COULD sense people, sense things, she DID feel it at times, but, more often than not, she felt like she was distracted by something, like there was a niggling in her mind always on the edge of it that kept distracting her in a way that she didn't even realize she was being distracted till someone tried to pull her attention back. She couldn't remember being like that as a Youngling, she could distinctly remember Master Yoda commenting that she was too serious and focused for one as young as her when she had been instructed by him when the time came. And now it felt like all that focus had just…disappeared.

Which reminded her, she was supposed to be confused about something, wasn't she?

She shook her head from her thoughts and looked up at the door that had pulled her attention again, the door through which she could sense another within. She headed for it slowly, her frown pulling more and more at her face the nearer she got. She could actually sense someone else in there and that…that hadn't happened in quite a while, where she sensed before saw. It was both piquing her curiosity but also making her shift a bit, an uneasy feeling about how the source of it all was making her feel. There was this…tug in her stomach, her heart was pounding, and she felt short of breath at the feel of the sensation. It was…she couldn't describe it. It was almost like she was nervous to open the door and not because the person within was…felt…angry, but…it was something else she wasn't familiar with, a strange anticipation, almost a hope.

Because despite not sensing things well, it felt as though she recognized the one she did now.

She pushed the door open and blinked at the person she saw within, "Skywalker?"

Anakin paused in his exercise with his saber, his back to her, body tense, shoulders shaking as though he were panting from exertion but…she could almost guess it was not quite exertion that was getting to him. The frustration and…anger…was rolling off him in waves.

"You have returned?"

Well, that was clearly very obvious if Anakin was standing before her, wasn't it?

"Was it you?" Anakin rounded on her, his expression hard.

"Was it me what?" she shook her head.

"Were you the one to tell my Master I was not suited for his mission?" he strode towards her.

Amira didn't move, just stood there in the doorway, confused, "Your Master sent you back?"

"As though you don't know."

"I don't," she repeated, "Or else I would not be asking questions in the hopes of receiving an answer."

Anakin rolled his eyes at that and turned on his heel, stalking back into the room. Amira paused a moment before stepping in after him, allowing the door to slide shut behind her.

"My Master refused to allow me to complete the mission with him," Anakin told her, huffing, very upset with the decision, "He said that I do not know my place. That I need more training before I'd be ready! I've BEEN training. I AM ready!" he turned and chucked the base of his lightsaber away.

Amira held up her hand before it could hit the wall, summoning it to her with the Force, clasping it tightly in her hand as it reached her. That was…just about the only trick she could actually do with the Force, catch things when they were close enough, even direct them right to her hand. It was…useful, you know, she was sure it was, in some way, useful. She would much rather be able to manipulate the Force in more ways than that. Perhaps using it to levitate an object to someone else, or to slow her momentum when she jumped from something, or many other tricks the Force could be used for. It was one thing to call an object to you, it was a brief tug and it flew at you and you just had to catch it. It took more focus, focus she didn't have in abundant amount, to lock on an object and lift it with your mind and guide it to someone else.

"You should be more careful with this," Amira wiggled his saber base in the air, "You could have damaged it," he really wouldn't. They were sturdy things, but still…if Anakin was angry enough he might have used the Force to smash the hilt against the wall harder than it normally would be.

"It wouldn't matter," Anakin muttered, "I could have done my duty to my Master and Padmé without a lightsaber."

"Padmé," Amira nodded slowly, "The senator?"

"No the Jawa," Anakin spun around to face her again, "Yes, the Senator. Senator Padmé Amidala. Former Queen of Nab…"

Amira held up a hand, "I know who she is, Skywalker," she cut in, not wanting to have to listen to him wax poetic about the woman, she could only imagine how many different things he would use to describe her after Queen…which opened up many doors.

"I just…" he sighed, his anger seeming to be spent as he moved to sit on a small bench against the wall, hunching over, his elbows on his knees, "I don't understand why he sent me away."

Amira blinked, looking between him and the lightsaber still in her hand as though the answer should be very clear to him, "Well…I would suspect it is because you're quite rash…"

"Don't," Anakin looked at her, more like glared at her.

Amira nodded slowly, tilting her head to observe him, falling quiet as she tried to pick her words carefully. She'd rather not end up with an angry Padawan shouting at her when she'd only kept him from smashing his lightsaber. And…she…considered him to be…a friend, almost. Almost a friend. They'd had a fair bit of fun dueling each other, they had both been smiling and afterwards, the small banter they had exchanged had been…easy. She hadn't even minded his dirty trick of tripping her, he'd gotten his comeuppance for it and she had proven to him not to underestimate her. She…felt like they had a tentative bond on the cusp of friendship. He was talking to her, well shouting, but he was allowing himself to speak of emotion and frustration to her and…Anakin did not seem the type to do so unless it was in arguing with his Master.

Now that she thought about it…she did not see him with many other Padawans. It was an odd mix of reasons, she could tell. She had a few friends, here and there, she could count on one hand those she would consider friends more than fellow Padawans. But she did interact with others. They seemed to think her 'flighty' whatever that meant, she wasn't quite THAT distracted but she did listen to them and observe them. It felt like every Padawan and Master in the Temple knew that Anakin was…something of a special case, no other Padawan had been accepted into the Order as old as Anakin had been. It was unheard of before him and for the Jedi Council to allow it, it had to mean there was something about Anakin that was different, something that the Council would bend their own rules to allow him in for.

Most Padawans shied away from him for that, for his acceptance under such special circumstances. Anakin himself seemed to have no issue if others did not wish to speak with him either. As a younger Padawan, she had observed him as well, he had been more open with his fellow Padawans, training with them and even playing with them at times when it was appropriate. Growing older…things changed for everyone. They all grew apart, grew more mature and serious in their studies and training. Anakin…there was a bit of arrogance to him, at times, even if she was sure he didn't mean to, he gave off the impression that he didn't wish to be around the other Padawans because he felt he was better than them, more skilled, stronger, and many other things…

Despite the fact that other Padawans his age and younger had already faced their Trials to become a Master and he had not.

He was not quite so above them in that sense.

She shook her head, she should not be thinking such things. Anakin was many things, she was sure of that, what she and others perceived as arrogance was not the only facet to his personality, she could see it here. He was angry yes, that he had been forced back to the Temple. But…she could detect a hint of hurt in his voice as he spoke. If he WAS arrogant, then his pride had certainly taken a hit with his Master sending him back and telling him he required more training, it would hurt.

She would not pander to that though, she would not stroke his ego. If his Master sent him back then it truly WAS because he was not ready to handle the situation he'd found himself in. She trusted her Master to know what she was capable of and ready for, they would not force a Padawan into something they could not handle. It was their duty to understand their charges and to determine when and at what rate to progress them. Anakin's Master would know him better than any of them, and if HE determined Anakin needed more training, then he needed more training. A Padawan that did not trust their Master could never learn. And she would not go against the decision of a Master for their Padawan, nor would she try to excuse Obi-Wan's decision to make Anakin feel better.

"My Master did not think I was suited for such a mission either," was all she could offer.

She wished to let Anakin know he wasn't alone, but also that he wasn't quite on the level he put himself on if both of them, both Padawans, were in the same situation. Both their Masters saw them as ill-prepared for such a task, which meant their skills were lacking in rather important areas. If Anakin was there and she was there as well for the same mission with the same parameters…then Anakin was more on her level than he would like to think.

"What?" he looked up at her.

She moved across the room to sit down beside him, not caring that he hadn't offered or even moved to give her space. He was sitting right in the middle of the bench, with barely enough room for her to sit next to him without falling off, but he would either move or be forced to endure her presence more. Perhaps if she was that close her words would actually get through to him as well.

She let out a long breath, "The mission, to protect the Senator. My Master was called shortly after you and your Master left to assist. I did not know it was because your Master had sent you back here."

"Not even your Master took you?" Anakin seemed to frown at that, actually seeming confused.

Amira looked at him, "Why would she?"

"You're her Padawan," he stated.

"Yes?"

"You're very skilled with a saber."

Amira blinked at that, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth, she wasn't even sure Anakin realized he'd just complimented her skills, he still had that confused look on his face, "I hope to be."

"You would be an asset to them if she were attacked."

Amira actually laughed at that, making Anakin even more confused, "Skywalker…I would be a liability, and I know that."

"I don't understand…" his frown deepened.

"I am…acceptable with a saber," she offered, trying to be modest, though she felt herself smile more when he scoffed at her use of the word 'acceptable' when they both knew she was more than that, "But I am…very lacking in many of the skills that would be needed in protective detail."

"You are?"

"We only truly met a short while ago, Skywalker. You don't know me," she pointed out, "I doubt you even knew who I was till I ran into you, quite literally."

Anakin was silent at that, "You knew me," he offered, though she wasn't sure if it was meant to be a defense or some sort of way for him to say that 'of course he knew her, if she knew him' sort of thing.

"Everyone knows Anakin Skywalker," she remarked, shrugging with a light roll of her eyes, "It is not every day that a child of nine is allowed to begin training as a Jedi. Whispers spread. I doubt there is a Padawan that does not know you or heard your name."

Anakin started to grin at that.

Amira's eyes narrowed slightly at the hint of arrogance and cockiness she could see forming inside that grin, that he was happy people knew his name, "In what context they have heard it is varied," she told him, "You give your Master quite a bit of trouble," she elbowed him lightly, trying to joke but also remind him that whispers could be good or very bad.

Anakin, however, hissed suddenly, his right hand coming to his left side, to his ribs where she had elbowed him.

"What?" Amira frowned, shifting in her seat on the bench to turn to him, "Anakin, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he winced, turning away from her a bit, sliding a little farther away to give her more room to sit.

But Amira pursed her lips and reached out, ignoring Anakin's startled cry as she grabbed the bottom of his inner vest and shirt and, thankful he was not wearing his belt, yanked it up, propriety and basic manners quickly forgotten when she saw the rather large, rather painful looking bruise that had formed on his side, purple and blue and green on the edges, about the size of her fist if a bit bigger, "What happened?!"

Anakin gave her a disgruntled look, grabbing his shirt back and pulling it down, holding his left arm in front of it so she couldn't pull it up again, "Someone fell on me," he reminded her pointedly.

"Well someone tripped me," she fired right back, not about to let him put the blame on her for his injury, even if she HAD caused it, HE had been the one that instigated the fall that led to it.

Anakin rolled his eyes and looked away, having no retort for that, she was…he begrudgingly admitted…right, but then something struck him and he looked at her, "You called me Anakin."

"That _is_ your name," she stated.

"Well yeah," he nodded, "But you've only called me Skywalker. You called me Anakin just then."

"Did I?" she seemed completely unfazed, almost as though she truly didn't recall having done such a thing.

"Yes."

"I don't think I did.

"You did."

"No, can't say I recall."

"Just now, just seconds ago!"

"Oh, Skywalker," she patted his left arm, still stiff in front of him to hold his shirt down, "The pain must have made you confused."

"I am not confused!" he huffed, starting to get irritated with her…but then he noticed her sly grin, the pleased quality to it and realized…she was enjoying this, she was actually having fun making him irritated. He took a deep breath, forcing those feelings down, not about to let her win, "You were telling me how you're an inferior Padawan?" he shot back, knowing his words had to sting, had to hurt, had to get to her…and he did regret them the moment he said them.

But Amira just shrugged, not seeming to rise to his bait…which infuriated him more. How could she so easily get under his skin yet he couldn't even get her to yell at him!?

"I think I was actually comparing how we're both inferior," she countered, making him glower, "Be careful with your face, Skywalker," she held out his lightsaber hilt for him to take, "Leave it like that long enough and the Force may freeze it in place."

Anakin rolled his eyes at that, at the comment that he had heard many a Master give their Padawan, the younger ones, when they would pout or scowl or not wish to take a lesson, "Fine," he muttered, grabbing his saber from her hand and waving her on with it, "You were telling me how we're both miserable excuses for Padawans."

"That I was," she nodded, stifling a giggle at how he grumbled under his breath at that. He was so easy to tease and his reactions made her laugh, he got so angry at times it really was rather amusing. She knew she shouldn't bait him or irritate him so, anger was not a good emotion to fan, nor have, not for a Jedi, but…he wasn't a Jedi yet and…he seemed better at tempering it at the moment, getting angry but then huffing it away.

She shifted more, getting comfortable on the bench, stretching her legs out before her and moving her other hand that held her lightsaber onto her lap, clutching it with her other hand as she spoke, "My senses aren't very attuned," she admitted to him, "I would be little help to sensing if anyone were trying to attack the Senator or if someone with such ill-intent were nearby. I would not be able to sense if she was in danger or who might mean her more harm than good. I could use work on my Force jumps, I'd likely end up injuring myself trying to stop someone that might try to harm the Senator and that would not look good for the Jedi or my Master or help the Senator in any way. My mind tricks leave a lot to be desired, I can't focus enough to make someone think anything long enough to get the words out. And my aim?" she let out a scoffing laugh, "I'd probably end up shooting the Senator on accident if they gave me a power pistol or anything like that," she sat back more, resting her back on the wall and looking across the room, solemn, "I would make a poor representation of the Jedi and shame my Master if I were there with her. So I accepted her request that I remain here and further my training."

Anakin looked at her for that, He had been silent through her rather large ramble about her lackluster skills and couldn't help but…want to reach out and comfort her. He could hear it in her voice, how hurt she was and frustrated she was that she was doing so poorly in so many other skill a Jedi ought to have where she excelled with her saber. If she truly was as bad as she claimed to be, he could understand her Master wanting her to stay. And the way she spoke of her Master, her first thought hadn't been that she wanted to see a mission through, but that she wanted to do right by her Master, to show that she had been growing and doing well as a student.

She thought her actions would be a blight on her Master's reputation and show that she was a poor teacher.

He blinked at that and let out a breath, falling back against the wall beside her as well, "I…defied my Master," he admitted to her as well, "I…I overstepped my place, spoke out of turn, offered more services than the Council was permitting us. He told me to be silent, I didn't stop. I just…the thought of someone harming Padmé…"

"Senator Amidala."

"Yes," Anakin nodded, not seeming to realize she was trying to correct him into a more formal address for the woman, "The thought of someone harming her, and knowing I could stop it…"

"How could you know?" Amira turned her head to look at him.

He did the same, "Know what?"

"Know that you could stop them?" she asked, "Did you know who was threatening the Senator?"

"No, but…"

"Did you know when they would attack?"

"No, but…"

"Did you know what weapons they would use?"

"No, but…"

"Or other people they might use to…"

"No!" he snapped, "No, alright, I didn't know any of that. I had no idea what I was dealing with and I could have gotten her killed trying to find out who it was. I could have made the next attack worse by digging into it. My arrogance could have gotten myself and my Master and the Senator in more danger because I'm reckless and would have done something stupid. Is that what you want to hear?"

Amira was silent a long while, "I just wanted to hear what your plan was," she shrugged, looking back across the room.

"What?" he shook his head at her, she confused him.

"You said you knew you could stop them," she repeated, "I wanted to know how you planned to do it, if you had no knowledge of any of that. How could you KNOW that you could stop them? You didn't," she looked at him, "You just admitted you didn't. You HOPED you could, but knowing and hoping are very different things, Skywalker. I HOPE I'll be a Jedi one day, all Padawans do, but…" she shook her head, "We don't KNOW if we will be. No one can know until they go through the Trials," she frowned a moment, turning to face the opposite wall again, "Were you more upset that you couldn't do your duty or that you couldn't be around the Senator?"

"What?" Anakin blinked at that, still trying to process what she had said.

She took a breath, "Were you more upset that your Master did not think that you were ready to assist him on his mission…or were you more upset that you had to leave Senator Amidala?"

Anakin frowned at that, before looking across the room, the answer he wanted to give, the one on the tip of his tongue, that he was upset he had been parted from Padmé once more after 10 years apart was stilled as he thought on what it would mean to admit such a thing, not just to another Padawan, but to himself, to know how close it would take him to breaking the Codes of the Jedi.

Amira shook her head, the fact that he even had to think about it told her all she needed to know, "If I may, give my opinion?"

"Even if I say no, it won't stop you, will it?" he muttered.

"Not at all," she smiled, giving a small, though tired, laugh at that, "I think…it should be the first, you should have been more concerned your Master felt you weren't ready, than to worry about the Senator."

"And why's that?" he rolled his eyes.

"Your Master is the one to determine if you are ready for the Trials, his word is what will influence the Council to let you attempt them," she shrugged, "If he does not believe you are ready, then you simply are not ready."

"You really have THAT much faith in our Masters?" he glanced at her, "That they know us THAT well? That they know, more so than we do, what we are capable of and ready for?"

"Is there anyone here that knows you better than your Master does?" she countered, rolling her head to look at him, "Your Master has been at your side for 10 years, your Master will be a guide to you for the rest of your life. Your Master has dedicated years to your future. He has been at your side, Skywalker, defending you, training you, helping you, encouraging and teaching and protecting you, for ten years. Who has done more for you? Your Master? Or a Senator? Who WILL do more for you? Who would give their life if it meant you were well? Who would rescue you if you fell to trouble? Who can understand what you are going through and learning and experiencing but another Jedi?" she shook her head and pushed herself to stand, to face him, "I think you should consider all that your Master has done for you, Skywalkwer, consider the trials HE is facing in teaching you. He only just lost his Master and became YOUR Master, you are his first student. Everything you do reflects much more on him than any other, every achievement you make is because HE taught you how to accomplish it. Every failure is a reflection on his inability to teach you properly. We, as Padawans, should strive to make our Masters proud, to show them our appreciation for all they do for us. We should not throw that away, we should not throw away years of patience and dedication and care. We owe them more than we can ever repay them, more so if we pass the Trials and become the Jedi we strive to be," she eyed him a moment, seeing that she'd actually managed to hold his attention through that rather long speech, she couldn't remember the last time she'd spoken for so long. But she shook her head and sighed, "I think you should consider which is more important to you and who has done more for you, who you owe more to and who you'd wish to make proud more."

She bit her lip after a moment, before turning to head out of the room, fiddling with her lightsaber, all thoughts of actually practicing thrown from her mind.

Right now…she just wanted to contact her Master and thank her.

A/N: I just want to say I'm so glad you're all enjoying the story so far! :) I'm really excited to explore the possibility between Amira and Anakin. She's got a very...unique way of getting through to him, doesn't she? I feel like, sometimes, Anakin just needed someone to really make him reconsider things, put things in perspective, treat him not like the 'Chosen One' or 'the boy from Tatooine' and just...Anakin :) Much more to come ;)

And, as a treat, we'll be getting an extra chapter in a few hours too ;)

I try to, at the end of a chapter for my other stories, do a little 'notes' section to respond to questions in reviews and things like that, so here we go ;)

Some notes on reviews...

Jar-Jar was a little hard, I think I watched clips of him for 2 hours straight just to make sure that I got the sound of his words right :) I picture Jessica Brooks to be Amira, she's most well known for being the character Ghanima in the Syfy version of the Dune Saga :)

Amira will have no tolerance for Anakin's arrogance either ;) I think she and Obi-Wan would get along swimmingly :)

I might consider the Clone Wars at a later date, a sort of filler between stories, but at the moment no concrete plans to do it just yet ;)

If all goes well and I don't end up butchering Star Wars, which I hope I don't, I might try to do 4-6 later :) Depending how the series ends, it might take some doing to make it possible :)

I definitely wanted to explore Obi-Wan accepting there was an issue. I feel like he sort of KNEW something was going on with Anakin, but he just didn't want to see it or believe it, so I thought 'what if' he just tried to keep it from happening instead of trusting it wouldn't. Anakin was pretty obvious that his crush was still there, I couldn't see Obi-Wan not figuring it out during that meeting but in the movies, perhaps hoping it would go away whereas here he takes precautions :)

I can't say if Anakin will go Dark or not just yet }:) One thing I wanted to explore was if another Jedi was involved, and them KNOWING the threat the Dark Side could pose to a Jedi in a relationship, what happen? I feel like Padmé kept saying 'we can't do this' but then gave in and, if she really understood the danger that love could cause for Anakin, she wouldn't have given in. A Jedi would know, so it all depends on if Amira can hold out or not }:) It would be interesting to see Episode 4-6 play out with Anakin there though, it'll depend how the series ends }:)

Thank you! I'll go back and change that and I'll try to keep it more clear when they're referring to someone's Master on a student-teacher level compared to a Master in general, unless they actually call him 'Master Kenobi' in the movie dialogue (I think Padmé and Typho did so when they met him again, which I get if they're not Jedi they may not know sort of thing), thanks! :) I meant Amira's hand-eye as in distance aiming, like she's good at close up fighting, but firing at a target far away is difficult for her. I'll be sure to clear that up, thank you! :)

I'm glad the story was able to respark the interest ;) I really liked Star Wars when I saw them in theaters, but then one of my friends in High School was very very obsessed with it and it sort of got to be a little much for me to hear day after day for years on end (she really loved the series and everything about it so I never asked her to stop talking about it when it was something she loved). But a few years later, rewatching the movies, the spark came back for me too ;)


	3. Humble Apologies

Humble Apologies

Amira rubbed a hand down her face as she sat in one of the communications rooms of the Temple, it was a small room designed for the Masters and Knights and even Padawans to keep in touch with each other during times where they were separated, such as she was from her Master at the moment. She had received a notice that her Master wished to speak to her and to contact her as soon as she was able. The young Padawan that had come to her room to inform her of the call had dashed off soon after, seeming almost worried he had woken her from sleep. It would have been true…had she been sleeping. Instead she'd been lying awake on her small bed, staring at the ceiling in the darkness, just…thinking. She had contacted her Master only a short while ago, just after speaking to Anakin the other day.

Neeva had been very touched to hear her Padawan expressing her sincerest thanks to her for taking her as an apprentice and teaching her all that she knew, for becoming…very much like what she felt a mother would be in the time they'd known each other. Not exactly a mother, attachments and feelings of the like were warned against, but…a woman that cared for her and wished to see her do well. It had made her feel lighter of heart after speaking to her Master, to tell her her thanks for her efforts. She had thought, perhaps, she might do well to meditate some more…only to get the same results as last time.

No, not quite the same results. She hadn't quite managed to make it far enough to jerk out of her meditative state. Instead her mind had been plagued with thoughts of Anakin and the conversation they'd had in the training rooms. She just kept replaying it, everything he had said, everything she had said, his various expressions and tones of voice. She did that a lot, whenever she had some sort of confrontation or meaningful discussion with someone. She couldn't help it but want to process all of it, make sure she hadn't overstepped her bounds or insulted anyone, that she had made good points that wouldn't shame her Master. But equally it was to see if there was anything she could learn from the moment that would help better her as a potential Jedi. She had gone through everything that Anakin had said and she felt a warmth drift through her as his compliment that she was skilled with a lightsaber.

Coming from Padawan Skywalker, that was a very large compliment, especially considering he'd insisted she'd cheated during their first duel.

But she quickly pushed that aside, Jedi are not to be arrogant, it was a danger to them, a temptation to the Dark Side and she would not allow herself to go down that route.

THAT had been what was lingering on her thoughts long into the night, invading her mind whenever she tried to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, all she saw was an image of Anakin's face, the anger painted across it, the bitterness in his words, the poisonous pride in his smile at times. It was bothering her, more than it should, that image of him in her mind. He wasn't her Padawan, she wasn't a Knight or Master or anything, she should not concern herself with this, she truly shouldn't, it should be left to his Master or one of the other Jedi to deal with, and, truly, what could she even do?

But the thought kept niggling at her, that image of Anakin, the anger…that was what was sticking with her so much. Her Master had repeated so many times that anger was but a step towards the Dark Side and there were already so few Jedi left, not enough to keep the peace any longer, and it was worrying. Could they afford to lose any more to the Dark Side? No, they couldn't. It would only do to stir up more ill feelings and negativity and fear and drive the Republic closer to the army it wanted, give them more reason to request on. If their own protects began to turn on them? Nothing would be safe then.

She felt a pain in her heart at just the thought of it, as though someone had reached into her chest and grabbed her heart and squeezed it tightly so that she could scarcely breathe. The thought of Anakin falling to the Dark Side…it frightened her. But there should be no cause for it, no reason to fear, Anakin was still a Padawan, he had much to grow, he had the support of all the other Jedi, the faith of his Master, he had the Force on his side…there was no chance he would succumb to the Dark Side!

But…that _anger_…

It had kept her up well into the night, so long that even when light began to creep into her room she was still awake thinking on it. He held so much anger within him, he had the potential for so much more. Her Master had asked her to stay behind, she had, she had accepted it that her Master knew her better and did not think her ready for such a mission. Anakin's Master had asked him to stay behind, he had fought against it it appeared, and he had railed at her about it, about the 'injustice' of it all. He'd been so angry at his Master when he should have taken the man's words and used them to spur him on, to improve as she had, as every other Padawan had been trained to do.

She didn't think on it at the time, why she had stayed there when she'd seen him so fuming that he'd even turned his ire on her. She could have left, she SHOULD have left than to remain and be a target for the anger he felt at his Master. But she'd stayed, when all her instincts had told her to leave, she'd remained. She'd tried to turn his anger to thoughtfulness, to make him more conscious that he was wrong to feel such fury for his teacher. She'd tried to quell it without making him feel that he was in the right for his own faults and that his Master was wrong to do as he had. She hadn't realized till long into the night that she had been trying to break the anger apart, to temper it, to kill it…out of fear.

Not fear of Anakin, but fear for him. He was one of the more silent Padawans, the more serious, both in expression and stance, he often gave the appearance that he was irritated with something. Even her first encounter with him he had been stalking down a hall and glowering at Younglings. He angered too easily and too quickly, rashness like that could be dangerous for a Jedi and she found herself not wanting to see him fall victim to it.

He was her almost-friend after all, it would not do well for her to allow something like anger to corrupt him, right? She should look out for him, shouldn't she? As a fellow Padawan, as a hopeful potential-Jedi, as a…as a human being, she should try to help him, yes?

It had left her tossing and turning. She already had so much to deal with herself, with her own training and her own Master and her own quest to take the Trials. She had enough to try and temper her own frustrations at herself and her own fears, should she really take on another's? But then she realized, hadn't she already? She had chosen to stay and ride through his anger with him and…he had seemed lighter of heart as well when she had departed, he had seemed thoughtful and contemplative. He hadn't seemed _angry_ when she'd left him and that was the biggest thing to remember. Anakin was…special, to the Order, everyone could tell that, he would not have been allowed to train as a Padawan if he had not been. And, if he was so special, he should be taken care of, he should be watched more, helped more.

He was already at a disadvantage for having started at so old an age when all others had trained and had lessons for years before him. What she knew and mastered as a Youngling, by the time she was Anakin's age when he began, Anakin hadn't even heard of! And she knew Obi-Wan was trying his best to be a teacher to Anakin, he was a magnificent Jedi Knight, all would agree, but teaching was hard. There were rumors that Anakin would not have even been able to join the Order had it not been for Obi-Wan, no one spoke of it, but everyone seemed to know that no other Jedi, Knight or Master alike, had wished to take the boy on as a Padawan due to his age, except Obi-Wan and, if her Master was truthful in what she disclosed to her, which she had no reason to suspect was anything less than the truth, Obi-Wan had been reluctant at first to do so as well. It hadn't been till his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, had perished that Obi-Wan took Anakin on, as homage and to honor his Master, Neeva had remarked.

Of all the Padawans in the Temple, all the Padawans that were taking lessons all across the galaxy, Anakin was the most important to the Council…and the most in danger of falling to Darkness.

Could she call herself a true Jedi if she stood aside and let it happen? She DID notice qualities in him that the Younglings were taught to rid themselves of. Arrogance, pride, anger, rashness, all the turbulent emotions that could lead to temptations by the Dark Side. She suffered from them in small bouts, frustration, anger (more at herself than others), irritation when her honor was called into question. But she tried to release them, to allow them to drift from her and allow the Force to take them from her, to focus on the more peaceful emotions that helped guide them towards the Light. Anakin had lived for 9 years of his life with all the emotions that the Younglings were taught to control and it truly was harder to learn certain tricks and methods and lessons when one was older.

All her thoughts about Anakin and what she could do, if she should do anything, were cut off when the young Padawan had stopped to give her the missive. All of it had stopped and, instead, turned to her Master and what could require her to be contacted so shortly after her last transmission too place. She tried to quell the fear that flashed through her. The fact that her Master was able to contact her had to mean that she was still well. The fact that she had not immediately called her to speak but was allowing her to return the communication had to mean that there was nothing direly wrong or that required immediate action. Everything was fine, but even still…she would feel calmer to see her Master's face and hear her voice for further reassurance.

She moved to one of the more private areas in the back of the communications room, reaching out to a small monitor affixed to the wall and turned it on, leaning in to press a few keys, placing a transmission to her Master that she was calling. Only a moment later a small flicker of light blinked out of the monitor and a 3D hologram of her Master was standing before her.

"Master," she bowed her head in greeting.

"Padawan," Neeva sighed in greeting.

"Is all well?" she frowned, hearing a tired quality in her Master's voice.

"I am afraid I will not be able to join you at the Temple as soon as I had originally believed," Neeva explained.

It wasn't even that they had thought she would be back any time soon, not with assassination attempts on Senator Amidala and her being called in to assist Obi-Wan in protective detail for the woman. No one could know how long such a mission could go on till. Either till the assassin and the one that sent it was caught or the Senator was killed, the second option was not acceptable at all and the entire reason that the Senator had been assigned protection in the first place. But it meant that the mission could go on a rather long while.

Master Yoda had been understanding of Neeva's request that he observe her status from time to time and ensure she was maintain her training and studies on her own well enough. He had agreed and bid Neeva a safe journey and mission with Obi-Wan.

The fact that her Master was telling her it might be even longer than they thought before had to mean something had changed.

"Is everything alright?"

Neeva shook her head, "I'm afraid another attempt was made on the Senator's life."

"Attempt?" she murmured.

Neeva smiled at her, "She lives yet," she reassured her Padawan, understanding she hadn't been shocked that another attempt had been made but more relieved it was only an attempt instead of a success.

Amira had to return the smile, "That is good news."

"Indeed," Neeva nodded, "Obi-Wan attempted to track down the assassin and discovered a Bounty Hunter had assigned them the task. He was unable to retrieve more than that as the assassin was…assassinated."

Amira blinked at that, refraining from snorting, it would be most undignified of a Jedi to do and this was NOT the situation to joke, all life was sacred to the Jedi, even that of one who took lives for a path in life. The play on words was amusing, but nothing to laugh at.

"We did not feel it right to leave Senator Amidala alone and sent word to the Council, they have returned our transmission with a new assignment. Obi-Wan is to continue his efforts to discover the assassin's killer and uncover who has ordered these attempts on the Senator's life."

"And you, Master?" Amira inquired, able to tell there was more to it than Neeva had begun to say, she had specified Obi-Wan as the one to track down the killer, "You are not to assist him?" that had been the point of her Master going with Obi-Wan in the first place after all.

"No," Neeva told her, "I will be accompanying the Senator to her home planet of Naboo," she informed her Padawan, "The Council is in agreement that a female presence may be more agreeable and put the Senator more at ease and request I join her as personal guard for the time being. Until Obi-Wan has discovered the ones that wish her dead."

Amira nodded at that, in thought, "From what I have heard of the Senator, it will not be easy to get her to leave the Senate or the Capitol…"

"Not at all," Neeva gave a soft laugh, "I have already sent word to Chancellor Palpatine to have him speak with her. From what_ I_ have heard of the Senator, she will not defy a direct order from him to see to her safety first. I have full faith in Obi-Wan's abilities, now that an investigation is occurring, I am sure that it will not take him long to find the Bounty Hunter."

Amira fell silent at that, nodding away, looking down.

"Speak, Padawan," Neeva called when the girl fell unnaturally quiet, "I would know your thoughts."

"I am just…sorry, Master," Amira smiled sadly, "That I have not yet attained a level that could be of help to you, that I am not yet ready for such an assignment…"

"You shall be one day, Padawan," Neeva assured her, "It appears," she added, a certain amusement in her voice now, "That we and Obi-Wan are in similar straits. He feels his Padawan is not yet ready as well, the Council was…quite displeased to learn he had sent young Skywalker back to the Temple."

"Skywalker is quite displeased to have been sent back," Amira murmured.

"I would imagine," Neeva remarked, looking to the side as though seeing something where she was, "I must depart now, Padawan," she began, "Continue to practice your skills, seek out Master Yoda for any trouble you may have, and I am sure you will be greatly improved by the time I return."

"Perhaps even improved enough for the Trials?" Amira tried to smile.

But Neeva only bowed her head once, "We shall see," there was just the smallest hint of warning in the woman's voice.

"Yes, Master," Amira nodded, "May the Force be with you."

"And with you," Neeva finished, before the transmission cut off, leaving Amira to heave a deep sigh, just staring forlornly at where the 3D image had just been standing.

~8~

Amira sat cross-legged with a faint frown on her face, her brow scrunched with minute concentration, in the center of the Room of a Thousand Fountains. It was like an enormous greenhouse, several stories high, filled with greenery, flora of every sort, fountains trickling away all throughout the large room, set up with meditative areas connected by stone walkways. It was often used as a meditative retreat, the setting so calm and peaceful that it served to soothe even the most troubled minds. She was sitting in the middle, right before the large waterfall that cascaded behind her. Some would think it foolish for her to be so near the roaring water, that it would distract her from her attempts at meditation but, ironically, it helped her more than the peace and quiet to be found elsewhere in the room, the trickling of the other fountains tended to irritate her. She had always loved the water, the life it could bring, the life it sustained, it calmed her and being near the largest source of it helped her feel more at ease.

She could try to meditate for longer periods when she was there, rarely did she go there though, only when she was truly feeling the pressure to overcome her obstacles and do better for her Master. She had heard it, in Neeva's voice, just before…she didn't think her ready for the Trials. She knew she likely wasn't ready, but to hear her Master seem to agree…it hurt. She had been training for so long, trying SO hard, but it just…wasn't happening and no matter how she tried or what she did to improve it never seemed like it was going to happen either. It…alarmed her to know that this might be the extent of her training, the highest levels she would be able to reach. It was why she put so much effort to her saber work, she just…needed to feel like she was good at something, since she apparently failed at everything else. Even her Master could tell that, even her Master knew that and she want to improve, for the both of them, so badly…

She took a deep breath, shaking her head as she tried to brush the thoughts off. This was supposed to be peaceful time, calm thoughts, no getting worked up or agitated. She really needed to push through whatever was keeping her from her meditation. So much hinged on that, so much could be triggered by just attuning herself to the Force more, she knew she could improve so much more if she could just manage that. But it was often done through meditation and she was struggling to do so.

She let out her deep breath, her face scrunching more but this time not from concentration but something else, another presence falling to the ground before her with a thump and, for once, she didn't have to open her eyes to know who it was. There were only a handful of people that gave off a strong enough Force presence for her to feel when she couldn't hear them approach due to the waterfall.

"Skywalker," she greeted, her voice neutral, flat, attempting to hold onto the serenity that was starting to escape her with his presence.

She could feel that shifting feeling again, the sense of something making her tenser when he was around, the stretching in her stomach, the speeding of her heart. She was sure it was because of his anger the other day, she was simply not sure if he had sought her out to yell at her some more or…

"I wanted to apologize," Anakin's voice spoke.

Her eyes opened at that one, startled, only to see him smirking at her reaction before she rolled her eyes and closed them again. He was teasing her, she was sure of it, he had come to 'apologize' just to see her reaction to it. It seemed he was starting to enjoy throwing her as much as she had liked confusing him the other day.

"Then do so and leave," she muttered, taking a deep breath and releasing it, trying to ease back into her meditations.

"I should not have shouted at you," Anakin began, seeming to listen to her request, "I was angry and upset with my Master and I started to take it out on you when you were just trying to help me understand the situation."

"No, you shouldn't have shouted," she agreed, "Not at me, nor about the situation at all."

"Because my Master knows best," Anakin let out a small huffing breath, but one that seemed more resigned than mocking, "It's…it's just so hard!" this time the huff was of frustration.

She could understand that, he was frustrating her very much at the moment.

"You have apologized, Skywalker," she cut in, "You need not…"

But it appeared Anakin had already started speaking once more, "I just mean…don't get me wrong, Obi-Wan is a great mentor, as wise as Master Yoda and as powerful as Master Windu. I _am_ truly thankful to be his apprentice. It's just…although I'm a Padawan learner, in some ways," he scoffed at that, "In _a lot_ of ways," he amended, "I'm ahead of him."

Amira bit her lip for that one, she had learned enough from the other day that Anakin would be unreasonable and ignore anything someone said till he'd said his peace. It was best to just let him get it out of his system.

Clearly this had been building inside him for some time and, as a Jedi, it was never a good thing to hold such feelings in.

"I'm _ready_ for the Trials," Anakin continued, "I _know_ I am! _He_ knows it too," he added, recalling her words that their Masters would know them better than they did, "But he feels I'm too unpredictable. Other Jedi my age have gone through the trials and made it. I _know_ I started my training late but he won't let me move on! And it gets worse!"

Oh, she was sure it was about to, so she scrunched her face more, trying to focus on the waterfall's roars instead of Anakin's tirade.

"He's _overly _critical! He never listens! He just doesn't understand. It's not fair! Master Obi-Wan sees _nothing_ of it! I'd bet he's jealous. He's jealous and angry that I've managed to surpass him so quickly that he's denying me this chance at the Trials. He just…"

"Skywalker, please," Amira nearly begged, moving her hands from where they were resting on her knees to her temples, massaging them, feeling her head start to pound with the headache his words were stirring, the frustration and anger she could feel rolling off him once more, "Please stop talking. If you haven't noticed, I am meditating," she huffed, "I am trying to mediate and I have a hard enough time focusing as it is, I do NOT need you to sit there and rant your frustrations at me while I am already frustrated enough!"

Anakin blinked as he observed her, seeming to finally realize that he'd interrupted her, to realize that she was truly very frustrated at the situation and trying to focus…and he wasn't helping her, "My apologies," he murmured, "I didn't mean to…"

"Please_ stop_ talking," she cutting in, this time more gently, "Please, Anakin, I'm just…I'm _trying_ to meditate."

Anakin nodded slowly, "I just…" he sighed, turning and falling down beside her with a thump, making her shake her head at him, as though she knew he wouldn't give this up that quickly, "I can't believe my Master just left me here."

He…he didn't know why he hadn't left yet. He should have. She was in the middle of meditating, he was being a bother, she had asked him to stop and he did…he would, he promised he would. It was just…she _listened_. The other day, she had actually listened to him and she had…well, put him in his place, if he had to think of a term for it. But not only that, she had given him a new perspective, she had made him think about just how hard he was making all this for his own Master with his antics and attitude. He hadn't come there to shout again, he hadn't planned to, he wouldn't ever dare say what he had around another Jedi or Padawan, but…she listened.

That hadn't left his mind since she had walked out of the training room the other day. She'd take in all his shouting and all his ranting and accusations…and she had fired right back, but equally she'd quietly and reasonably explained another side to the story, another way to look at it. She had been right, in many ways, in many of the things she'd said (not about Padmé thought, not about her, there she'd been wrong). She'd made him question things and look at his Master in a new way and that…meant something to him. Most others, if he'd said what he had the way he had, would have reprimanded him, or spoken down to him, shouted right back at him or informed his master of his remarks for punishment for the harshness of it and the disrespect of it. Amira had just…listened.

It made him feel like he could be freer with his words around her, something he hadn't realized he needed till just now. Something like what he'd said wouldn't EVER slip out around other people but…as soon as he'd said it, as soon as she'd cut him off, he felt…lighter, to get that off his chest. He'd been carrying around this…resentment…for his Master for so long, more and more with each little incident and 'slight' against him and his skills. He hadn't realized how truly angry and frustrated he was with Obi-Wan till he'd let all that slip out of him. How it had managed to slip out was beyond him…

No, that wasn't true, it wasn't beyond him. It was because it was Amira, he felt safe talking to her, after just that one time, he felt like he could express more to her than to others. She…surprised him, with her insight last time, and, he supposed, a part of him was thankful for that. He just really needed to say all that to someone that would listen and not cast him off or wave his frustrations to the side.

He knew it was unfair to interrupt her meditations like this, she had expressed frustration of her own with needing to improve in other areas of their training and he was putting a small pause on that with his appearance. He was being selfish and that was wrong, Jedi were not meant to be selfish and…

"Then use your time wisely," Amira's voice cut through his thoughts.

He rolled his head to the side slightly, from where he was laying, his head just a foot away from her thigh, he could see her face clearly, "Doing what exactly?"

She turned her head, opening her eyes to look at him, studying him, seeming as though she were debating whether to say what she was thinking or not, "What if…I were to say that I know a way to use your time…that would allow you to give your Master a rather large scare once he has returned?"

Anakin blinked and grinned, "Like what?" he asked, intrigued.

Amira sighed and shifted, extending her legs out before her, her hands clasped and resting on her lap as she gave up on her meditations, knowing there was little chance that she'd be able to return to them now. Anakin…he seemed the sort to latch onto things, he wouldn't leave her till she spoke to him, "What are some faults that your Master complains of to you?"

Anakin frowned at that, his brow furrowing, and she could almost SEE him wanting to say he had none, but, surprisingly, he let out a long breath and rolled his head back to stare up above him, "He feels my senses need to be more attuned," he began, "That my saber skills could use some work. I lack patience, I lack the discipline to think things through first, I react too rashly. My tongue gets away from me and I speak before I think. He…" he sighed, seeming almost ashamed of his next words, "He thinks I am arrogant in my skills and abilities, that I lack obedience to his teachings and instructions."

"I can understand his concerns," Amira remarked, shrugging when Anakin shot her a glare, "The first actual conversation we had, Skywalker, began when you threw your lightsaber at a wall," she fixed him with a pointed look, smirking when he looked away, his cheeks pinkening in shame at being reminded of the time he'd lost control like that, "A Jedi's saber is their most precious possession," she stated, sounding as though she were reciting a lesson, "A Jedi must keep it with them at all times. A lightsaber is their _life_…"

"Please," Anakin cut in, "I've heard that lesson from my Master many times already."

"And yet you _threw_ your _lightsaber_ against _a wall_," she repeated, more and more pointedly, "Seems that you have HEARD the lesson," she agreed, "But not that you actually LEARNED it," Anakin opened his mouth to argue so she kept on, "So learn it."

"I don't understand?" his face scrunched.

"Patience," she began to tick off on her fingers, recalling what he'd said, "Discipline, a more respectable tongue, obedience, saber skills, and focusing your senses. Have I missed anything?" he shook his head, still frowning, "Work on them, Skywalker."

"I HAVE been," he huffed.

"No," she shook her head, "I mean…" she paused, searching for the words, "If your Master fears your rashness, practice your patience NOW, while he is away. If he fears that you shall speak out of turn, practice in…in coming up with more diplomatic answers. If he fears your obedience, that you do not listen to him...go out of your way to do so," she started to laugh at that as Anakin gave her a look as though he feared she'd gone mad, "Could you imagine the look on his face, the shock to his heart, if he returns and gives you a command and you graciously accept and, without complaint, go to see it through?" she actually snorted at that, "He might just drop dead!"

Anakin blinked at that, actually trying to picture it, "He _would_ be rather shocked…might think I'd been replaced with a changeling or a shifter…"

Amira nodded, "Not only would it shock your Master, Anakin, it would make YOU seem better to the Council, that you put such effort into improving and…" she hesitated a moment, "It would lend credence to your claims that you feel you surpassed your Master," she was treading on dangerous, _dangerous_ ground…just on the cusp of catering to his arrogance, but also trying to bait him into realizing all that he felt about himself was not so, that there was FAR more work that went into becoming a Jedi than he thought he was ready for, "If he has taught you all that he can and you are truly as gifted as you feel you are…you should be able to improve even more on your own, shouldn't you?"

She doubted he'd be able to, not on his own, no, and hopefully it would be the dose of humility he would need to realize how hard his Master had worked to train him.

Anakin started to grin at that, Amira watching closely as that flicker of arrogance appeared, before his smile started to fall, letting her subconsciously breathe out a sigh of relief that her words had worked, "I _want_ to improve," he nodded, "I want to prove to Obi-Wan that I am ready for the Trials, to prove to him and the Council that I am. But…I am not sure how to go about curbing all my faults."

Amira put a hand to her chest, "Is the great Anakin Skywalker admitting he has limitations?!" she playfully gasped.

He sent her a mock-glare for that, "I'm admitting that…that I DO need help, to work on certain faults. I doubt that anyone could learn patience or obedience or how to give more diplomatic answers without someone to test them. Master Obi-Wan goes about it in a way that I…" he cut off suddenly, turning to look at Amira.

"What?" she frowned now.

"You," he stated.

"Me?"

"You can help me."

"Me?"

He nodded, "You."

"How?" she scoffed.

"Saber skills."

She blinked at that, before rolling her eyes, "I may be acceptable with a lightsaber, but if you've forgotten, Skywalker, I'm hardly the epitome of a Jedi ready for their Trials."

"But you CAN be," he remarked, sounding as though he were working something out in his head as he went, "I can help you improve the things you need to work on, and…and you can help me work on my lacking areas!"

"That is why we have Masters," she reminded him, "We are not qualified to…"

"Our Masters aren't here right now, are they?" he cut in, turning to her, and even if his was, he'd been about to say that Obi-Wan tended to go about teaching him in a way that left him more frustrated and less attentive, "You know your way around a saber, and…if how you handled my…lack of control," he offered, "The other day is how you speak in tense situations then you can help me work on my responses to my Master. You can help me work on my patience and discipline. I can help you with your pistol aim and Force Jumps and mind tricks and even your control with the Force!"

Amira blinked at that, surprised he'd remembered all the shortcomings she'd admitted to the other day, that he'd paid enough attention to recall them, "What about our senses?" she shook her head, "We _both_ seem to be lacking in our attunement."

"We can help each other there," he started to smile, as though this were the greatest plan he had ever come up with, "Or we can both seek out Master Yoda. Amira," he turned to her fully, reaching out to grab her hand, "We can help each other improve, we can both show our Masters that we're ready for the Trials. We both want to do better, to make our Masters proud, and we both have the skills the other doesn't."

Amira looked at him long and hard, searching his eyes for the conviction she heard in his words…and she found it. He was serious about this, dead serious about the two of them teaming up to try and teach each other. He truly believed that they could do this, he truly had faith that they could accept instruction from the other and actually improve. And…as much as she did not want to admit it…it might help to get the perspective of another Padawan, one that had clearly struggled to learn as Anakin had. Perhaps it might help her to improve where her Master seemed to struggle to have someone else that was still learning guide her in the areas he excelled in.

"So?" Anakin squeezed her hand, neither of them realizing that he had taken it, neither of them seeming aware he was still holding it, "What do you think?"

"I think…" she took a deep breath, before smiling, "This…this just might work."

May the Force help them.

A/N: Bit of sneaky manipulation here from Amira :) My brother was actually the inspiration for this chapter. He's...very angry and arrogant and blows up at things all the time, always thinks he's right and ready to do something and then finds out he's not and gets frustrated. Whenever we need him to do something that we know will get him like that, we try to put a spin on it, make it something HE wants to do or something that HE thinks he needs instead of us trying to make him do something. He needed anger management, we told him for years we wanted him to go and all it did was make him angrier and 'I don't need it!' and all :( But when he got a job in a place that has...sort of jerkish people that would intentionally target him for his temper, we managed to spin it that 'THEY are going to try and get you angry' and 'THEY want to get you in trouble' so that he would agree to go to anger management so he wouldn't react to them and lose his job.

Amira's sort of doing the same thing here, she's tricking him a little and spinning it, to Anakin, as less about what Obi-Wan wants him to improve in, and making it more Anakin showing Obi-Wan up BY improving. So it's sort of a win-win, Anakin improves and, hopefully by then, becomes less arrogant and calmer, and Obi-Wan gets a good Padawan out of the deal ;)

Some notes on reviews...

There'll be a hint of a love triangle, Padmé will seem to have the beginnings of feelings for the Grown-Up Anakin when they reunite, but ultimately it will be Anakin/OC :) I do tend to use things like that in my stories, mostly because, unless it's a fairytale 'love at first sight' thing, I can't really see a romantic relationship starting without a foundation of friendship or some other relationship beforehand. You can't love someone you don't know, is just my opinion, so in order to get to the romantic relationship, you need some other foundation ;) I can say Amira will be very much not supporting Anakin if he does something wrong or that she disagrees with. She would go on without him and take it as a lesson for why the Code is in place if it came down to it. I can say, in this story, we'll see her facing down Anakin at one point, the two of them at opposite ends ;) I might do the Clone Wars, I have only seen an episode or two though, so I can't say just yet ;)

I might consider an Obi-Wan/OC one day in the future but, at the moment, I don't have an OC in mind for him. There's always a chance I'll rewatch the movies and be hit with one though ;)

Padmé will still have some sort of feelings for Anakin. She caught a glimpse of him 'all grown up' and was very affected by it if Obi-Wan noticed ;)

I like to think of it as a quasi-pep talk ;) She definitely has a way to get through to Anakin and encourage him, but in odd ways :)

I might do a Clone Wars one day, I just have to see more of the series to know for sure :)

There'll be some tension between Amira and Padmé, yup :) There'll be a sort of ironic twist that Anakin's spent years thinking of seeing Padmé again, and then, when Padmé sees him and he leaves, she'll spend quite a bit of time thinking about seeing him again ;) So it might make things tense between the two women, for quite a few reasons, but nothing catty or harsh ;)

I picture Amira's Master to look, ironically, a bit like a shorter and slightly younger Susan Sarandon (who was also in the Syfy Dune Saga, with Jessica Brooks) :)

I think, by this point in time, Padmé was 24 years old, being a young queen 14. I think it might be why she didn't hold firmer to the consequences that would come from it. She was thrust into politics and ruling a world at the age where she should have been starting to notice boys and be a normal girl, then went right into more politics after so she sort of notices Anakin now because she has the time 'in hiding' and, I think, a part of her wants to feel normal and in love since she missed that the last 10 years doing her duty to her people :( Amira, here, will definitely keep bringing things up and forcing Anakin to think about the things he says and does in larger scopes ;) We'll see that in a very big way in a few more chapters }:)

We'll definitely see more of Obi-Wan interacting with both Neeva and Amira :) Amira will have quite a conversation with Obi-Wan very soon where she'll ask some questions in a similar way to the Youngling's simplicity that will also have Obi-Wan considering some things about his Padawan that he might have tried not to think of in the past :)

I'm glad you like it so far :) My apologies for the spelling/grammar errors. I read through a chapter about 3-4 times and things always end up slipping through. I've also been plagiarized 20 times since 2013 so I find it _really_ difficult to trust a Beta reader that would be given chapter upon chapter of a story before I even post it :( So it's mostly up to me to try and catch the errors, but I do my best :)

I actually have it in the opening A/N that the story will be 10 chapters ;) They will be romantic before the series is over, but it will take a lot to get them there, still with cute and deep moments between ;) Amira will be a big influence on Anakin's attitude as the story goes on, especially with self-control and obedience to his Master ;) The three boys from before weren't really bullies, more just upset boys that she won in a competition with, they won't be causing problems with her and he reacted the same way as they did in a way, so he can't really go after them for thinking she cheated too lol :)


	4. Trust Falls and Rises

Trust Falls and Rises

Anakin couldn't help but smile widely as he stepped into the training room to see Amira already in there, working through the different motions with her light saber. He could tell by how she glanced down every so often that she was keeping track of her foot work as well, not that he thought she needed it, to him she had better footwork than his Master had, she would if she practiced as much as she claimed she did and he had no reason to doubt her either. His Master had…probably been correct in his assessment that he did need to focus on his saber work more but they both knew he was fairly proficient, able to hold his own if it really came down to it. And Amira had gotten him on his back with her lightsaber at his throat sooner than he thought she would.

His pride had taken a serious hit then, only tempered by the notion that he had started to really fight her once he stopped underestimating her. He'd thought she cheated, something he regretted now, and had started off too easy on her. She had come at him as though she were dueling with Master Yoda or someone equally as skilled as him, had fought hard and not dared think him lacking in skills. She fought as though she expected him to try his hardest to beat him, to use every bit of skill and strength that he possessed. He'd nearly gotten a saber to the arm for not starting off equally as strong. He'd rebounded quickly, had started to put more and more effort into it when he realized she wasn't going to let up on him, and STILL he had ended up on his back.

He'd been angry, at himself mostly, that she had beaten him, that he hadn't been able to stop her, to fight her off. Slowly that anger had trickled off, the more he replayed the moment in his mind and…it had stuck in his mind no matter how much he tried to shake it off. He kept going through it, trying to see what he'd done wrong, what opening he could have given her to best him as she had. He still wasn't sure how it had all happened but he was left with a feeling of…almost contentment. He had fought a worthy opponent, he had fought hard and fought his best and, even being beaten, to have lost to someone that had such dedication to her saber work and such skill…he might consider it an honor one day. It had served to force him to realize something else…he could learn much from her. He wanted to be a good Jedi, no…the BEST Jedi there ever was and to be so he would need to excel in all areas, or at least come close.

Amira had many years of training over his having started so late in life. She had many more hours dedicated to the lightsaber than he did, than many other Padawans did he'd imagine. He got the impression that she spent every hour that was not focused on other studies or training working with her saber. In that sense…he almost wasn't surprised that she had beaten him. He had started off poorly and hadn't been able to catch up as much as he would have liked, and even if he had, she…was a better dueler than him, he could give her that.

Had HE cheated and used more of the Force during it, he was sure he'd have beaten her. He KNEW he'd have beaten her…but it wouldn't have been a fair fight and, in that manner, wouldn't have been a worthy victory.

"Are you going to enter or stand there staring at me?" Amira's voice called, pulling him out of his ponderings.

He looked up to see that she hadn't turned around, but had merely sensed him standing there. It made him a little suspicious, to be honest. She claimed that she needed work on her sense attunement, yet she'd been able to sense him. He shook his head and entered the room, allowing the door to slide shut behind him.

Amira turned her saber off and spun to face him, "Are you ready?"

"You're getting right to the point," he muttered

They had only agreed to try this…mutual training…two days ago and she was already getting right into it. Both of them had to be observed by Master Yoda the last two days. He had wanted to assess where they were in their training and abilities, so that he would be able to monitor their progress and report to their Masters, in the end, what had come of it. It had taken nearly the entire day between his various tests and his own lessons with the Younglings. It hadn't left them with much time to meet or coordinate what to do. A brief and chance meeting in the hall last night had given them just time enough to determine that they'd start with her helping him on his saber work...well, he SAID chance meeting, and it was, it was completely by chance that he was heading in the direction of where he may or may not have gleamed her dorm to be.

It wasn't like he was seeking her out.

It wasn't!

Still, they had come to an agreement that they would spend half the day working with each other, then part to continue their own personal and independent studies for their Masters. It…wasn't nearly as much time as he'd like to spend working on this, if it had been left to him it would have been as many hours in a day that they could spare, foregoing their independent studies to really work towards what they were planning. But he could understand her reasoning, both of them had subjects outside their lacking areas that they had to keep up with. If this went well though, if they both actually DID start to improve, he was sure he could convince her that they should spend more time together.

Training and practicing of course, not just…not just spending time together. He wasn't interested in that at all. No, he'd rather spend time with the former-Queen of Naboo if he had his choice, she was fair to look at and had a fierce spirit, a strong will. Not that Amira didn't as well, she…wasn't bad, he supposed. Her hair was too bright, like the sun on Tatooine, her skin was contrastingly pale which, he supposed, made sense for how much time she spent inside the Temple working with her saber. And the freckles? The ones splattering her nose? They…bothered him, they reminded him too much of sand, like on Tatooine, her eyes as well reminded him of the metal of the droids he used to deal with. She was rather fierce though, but…in a different way, it was softer, more subtle. She didn't back down but equally she didn't really shout at him…unless she was very frustrated herself, which did amuse him to see. The Amira he had met in the hall, the one he thought of when his mind turned to her from time to time, she was a bit distracted and at ease around him, to see her snapping and waspish was new and entertaining.

"If you are serious about wishing to improve then we should get to the point," Amira countered, serious, "To hold a lightsaber, Skywalker, to use it is a very severe matter. A Jedi is not to use their saber lightly, to ignite it means to be fully prepared to take a life, something we are not ever to do with such little care. If you want me to help you with your saber work, we do it my way."

Anakin nodded at that, growing serious as she spoke. It was true, to wield a lightsaber was a very serious matter and not ever to be taken lightly. Jedi were meant to guard, protect, and respect life, all life, to use a saber to take one had to be done with deep consideration and only in the most dire of circumstances.

"How would you like to begin, Master?" he bowed his head to her.

"Don't call me 'Master,'" she thumped his arm with the hilt of her saber as she passed him, grabbing his arm and moving more into the middle of the room with him.

He smirked at that, "As you wish…Master."

"I will thump you again," she warned, pointing the hilt of her saber at him warningly, scowling slightly.

He held up his hands in surrender, "I just meant…"

Before he could even finish, Amira turned her saber on and slashed at him, making him jump back.

"Amira!" he shouted as he almost stumbled, almost but not quite, to get away from the blade, "What was that for?"

"_Stop _talking, Skywalker," she told him, "My first 'lesson' to you. Do not talk. When you're using this," she held up her saber, "Focus on it. Don't talk, don't taunt your opponent, don't speak at all. It distracts you, it takes away from your concentration and it could also pull the attention of someone else over to you and cause THEM to be harmed. Your Master said you needed to focus your saber work, yes?"

"I don't think he meant for me to nearly get cut in half in the process," he muttered.

"Then walk out the door," Amira rolled her eyes, gesturing at the door, it wasn't like he'd ACTUALLY be cut in half, not in the training rooms, "You wished for my help, for my advice, this is it. You have to stop talking and start focusing. You would be surprised how much more you can see and feel when you put all your energy towards a duel instead of talking. Talking requires thought, requires movement of your mouth and tongue, requires your ears to pick it up and causes your mind to flit to what's being said. Take that away and all you have…"

"Is the duel," Anakin nodded, sighing, "I…understand."

"Good," she waved her hand at his saber, "Prove it."

Anakin raised his saber into both his hands and activated it, this time expecting the next attack that Amira launched at him, blocking it quickly. They fought in utter silence for two minutes, before he noticed something.

When she was fighting, when she was concentrating, her nose scrunched.

"You…"

He had only JUST opened his mouth when Amira stomped forward, right onto his foot.

"OW!" he nearly fell backwards, no, he DID fall backwards, though luckily the wall of the training room was near enough for him to fall against, panting, "What…" but he was cut off again by Amira swinging her saber down at him, forcing him to roll to the side and around her to avoid it, limping slightly at the slight pain in his foot, "You cheated!" he shouted.

She shook her head, "You talk, I stomp," she warned him, "No talking!" and ran at him again.

He pursed his lips in an effort not to speak another word as they fought on, half biting his lip to keep himself quiet. Though…that bite lessened and lessened as they went on, minutes flying by in silence as they worked at it. He could actually almost feel the improvement in his fighting. He wasn't thinking of witty comebacks, which his Master had remarked on time and time again when they'd duel, that he needed to focus more on his skills with a saber than with words, they wouldn't prove useful in a duel.

Why had his Master not just TOLD him that the reason for that was as Amira had said, it redirected more thought to his mouth than his limbs. He'd just thought his Master was being sarcastic or condescending. But it was true, he realized now, he had underestimated his Master's wisdom, he WAS fighting better.

He grinned as he managed to lock his lightsaber with Amira's, both of them gripping the other's wrist to hold the blade close, both crossed just before them, allowing them to see each other through the crossed V.

He gave her a look, a meaningful one, his gaze flickering to her lips in a silent question. It was to request permission to speak, that was all, that was it. If his eyes lingered a split second longer on her lips than the question entailed it…it was just a reaction to not being able to speak, to not seeing someone else's lips moving. She gave him a brief nod of permission.

"It appears I'm winning," he told her, smiling as he squeezed her wrist more, knowing he could win this on sheer strength alone.

But Amira just smiled right back, "My next lesson," she glanced down and back at him, "Always be prepared for underhanded tricks!"

And with that, Anakin found himself on his back once more, his foot having been knocked out from under him as Amira slid hers behind his own and pulled her leg back, causing his leg to follow and him to lose balance, landing with an oomph.

He tilted his neck up to look at her, only to find the familiar glow of her lightsaber near his neck once more, "You DID cheat!" he accused.

She shook her head, "Not then, and not normally," she told him, pulling her saber away and offering her hand to him much like last time. Only this time, unlike the last, Anakin took her hand and allowed her to help him up, "But I will not be as honorable as others," she added, panting slightly from the duel, something he was almost startled to realize he was doing as well, "In a true battle, our enemies won't care for honor or the rules of dueling. They will fight to the death and use any means to ensure they survive and you fall. That is the point of this, Skywalker, It is not about showing off, it isn't about flashy saber work or taunting or being clever. It's about survival. When this is in your hand," she reached out to take his wrist, lifting it and his still activated saber up before him, "When this is active, it is a sign of a battle to the end. Focus on that battle, not on how many words you can spit out between one blow and the next. Now…" she stepped back, "Another?" she held up her saber, ready.

He considered her a minute, "Are you going to cheat again?"

"Are you going to talk more?" she countered, "Or are you going to be silent and see if I am planning to cheat? You'd be surprised how much more you notice when you can focus everything on what's happening outside yourself."

Anakin frowned at the slight dig, but lifted his saber, shifting into the ready position as well, this time determined not to say a word and, if he happened to catch some of her tricks coming…he was not about to admit it to her that her technique worked.

~8~

"I don't understand," Anakin blinked as he looked at one of the small target droids in another section of the training area. It was a small room set up for practice with pistols and other gun-like weapons, most would set off small target droids to flit around and fire at them, or they could set up motionless ones in the distance.

He had set up one of the motionless ones a reasonable distance away, a large target blinking in the middle of it…

And Amira had managed to only graze the edge of it, once, out of 15 shots.

"It's not that far away," he mumbled to himself, shaking his head, he…really didn't understand it. He'd seen Younglings with better aim than her.

"I told you," Amira sighed, "I can fight well up close, but give me a target farther than the reach of my arm and lightsaber and it's just…that," she gestured at the target.

"Are you unable to see that far away?" he turned to her, trying to puzzle it out, he knew of some Jedi that required assistance seeing distances.

"I see it just fine," she huffed, crossing her arms, "I just…can't seem to manage to hit it. What I think is fair aim ends up skewed."

"Take aim again," he ordered lightly, stepping back so that she could lift her training pistol at the target, watching her intently with a furrowed brow, "Try tilting your head more to the side, facing the target," he called.

"Now I've gone cross-eyed," she remarked, firing anyway…only for the blast to land laughably low on the target board before lowering her pistol, "Do you not think I haven't tried all of this before?" she put her hands on her hips, "I have tried everything. I've tried firing within arm's reach and stepping back, I've tried scopes, I've tried using a desk!"

"Using a desk?" he gave her an odd look at that.

She sighed, seeming to deflate from her irritation to a resignation, "One of the other Padawans suggested that I use a desk, balance the pistol on the edge and crouch, use it to help gain a sense of level in my firing…it didn't work, obviously," she gestured to the side with her pistol and looked over at the target forlornly.

Anakin found himself frowning at that, at the look on her face. She had…helped him, yesterday, when it came to his saber work. He hadn't managed to best her at the duel, but he was…better, he'd lasted longer than he had the first time. By their last round he'd almost thought that it might be a draw…till he'd gotten cocky about it and she'd used his confidence to elbow him in his still healing rib, remarking that he should always guard a weak spot if his opponent was aware of it. She was…a ruthless teacher when it came to the saber, so much so that to see her looking so lost and resigned and disappointed in herself almost made him question if it was the same woman.

And he found himself wanting to reassure her, to find some way for her to be able to, not even master but just, improve her pistol skills. She had helped him and…he truly wanted to help her in return. He…didn't like that look on her face, it just…it felt like it didn't belong there. She had gotten so frustrated, so much so that she'd snapped at him, when he'd interrupted her meditations a few days ago. He hadn't understood but, looking at her now, he was starting to. For as much as she excelled in the saber, she really did struggle badly with other areas of training, and it weighed on her, he could see it, it weighed heavily on her that her best efforts weren't good enough. He had interrupted her trying to practice one of them and he'd gotten a glimpse of just how badly it was upsetting her that she wasn't able to succeed at something so simple.

"Here," he stepped closer to her, "Take aim…"

She sighed but brought her pistol up once more, holding it straight before her in her right hand, her strong arm, aiming with it before her eyes.

He moved right behind her and…

"What are you doing, Skywalker?" she asked, not moving but tensing.

He could feel her tensing, he should, he was…probably inappropriately close to her at the moment, but it would help in the long run, he knew it. He had pressed himself right against her back, his right hand up, gripping her forearm of her pistol arm, his other hand resting on her left shoulder. He crouched slightly, resting his chin on her shoulder to be eyelevel with her, trying to see what she did from her perspective.

He tried to focus, he truly did, he wanted to, he wanted to work out what was inhibiting her pistol skills. But…he'd breathed in. Her hair smelled like rainwater, it reminded him of Tatooine as well, but a happier side of it. It was a desert planet, it didn't rain often, not at all, but there were rare times, here and there, where it would. The water would be collected as though it were gold it fell so rarely and in such small quantities. But he had memories of being young, younger than when he'd met the Jedi that took him from the planet and freed him, of standing out in the rain and feeling it, breathing it in. It made him swallow hard as the smell invaded his senses, he could feel Amira's heart beating against his chest as well, could feel her breathing under his hand and forced himself to look at her pistol, at the target, to focus.

"Your arm…" he murmured, only to freeze a moment later when she tensed only a moment after a shiver struck her at the feel of his breath near her ear, ghosting across her cheek and neck. She stiffened so terrible that he found himself quickly stepping back, clearing his throat and running a hand through his hair, looking away from her a moment till he was sure he wasn't in danger of flushing before he turned to her again. She was still in the same rigid position she had been, hardly looking as though she'd even released a breath since he'd moved, her arm still out, though shaking slightly, "Um, your arm is…it's…turned."

"What?" Amira spoke, her voice quiet, before she cleared it, "What do you mean turned?"

"I do it too," he said quickly, not wanting her to think there was something wrong with her, "It's from holding our lightsabers out to our side when they're activated."

They were taught from the moment they began their lessons with a saber to always hold it out on an angle and not straight at the ground. It became such a permanent motion and stance that many Jedi and Padawans he'd observed ended up doing the same when they held their arms out anywhere. Her arm was skewed just slightly to the right, as though it couldn't be held straight out before her any longer. It happened to him numerous times, but he'd been able to overcome it. He knew Amira could as well, but…he also knew that she had years of training with a saber over him, it would take her far longer to break and…he just wanted her to be able to hit the target, just once, to show her that she COULD do it, it was just an unfortunate after-effect of her saber training and how extensively she practiced in it.

"Your coordination is a little off when you do things one-handed," he offered, stepping closer but making sure to not invade her space again, "Try this," he reached out and lifted her left arm to have her hand clasp the base of the pistol along with her right hand, "Imagine that the pistol is your saber. You fight best when you hold it in both hands, using your left will help tug your right into alignment until you can train yourself to move your right arm yourself. Now," he stepped back, "Just take aim…"

Amira took a deep breath but did so, holding the pistol out before her in both hands.

"And fire!"

She pressed the trigger…

And laughed, "I did it!" she cheered, turning to throw her arms around Anakin for a moment, squeezing him tightly in her joy before she let go and ran back to where she was standing, leaning over slightly to look at the target. She hadn't hit the center, not at all, but she'd actually HIT the target this time! It was a start! It was a wonderful start! She'd gotten it on the board, about halfway between the edge and the middle. And that was closer than she had been in a very long time. Oh this was wonderful!

"Thank you Anakin!" she turned to beam at him before turning back to shake her head at the target.

Anakin swallowed hard, lowering his arms from where he'd just started to lift them to return her brief, reactive hug when she'd pulled away, "You're welcome," he looked at her a moment longer, feeling himself start to smile at how widely she was grinning, feeling a…different sense of pride fill him to know he'd done that.

~8~

Anakin frowned as he stood just within the door to one of the holographic training rooms of the Temple, Amira beside him, the next day. The rooms were designed to create a test of sorts, like an obstacle course, or some other manner of simulated defense. It was helpful in teaching them to sense what was real and what was fake. The room could shift and move, droids and small stunners would be used to blend in with the obstacles set to help them learn reactions for the parts of the training program that were actual and real. He was well acquainted with the holographic training, all Padawans were…which was why he wasn't sure why he was there.

His confusion must have shown on his face for Amira sighed, "Your Master remarked that you were rash," she began, "That you lacked patience and discipline."

"I'm not sure how this room will help with that," he muttered, "I've run this course before, I…"

"Set the record for it," Amira rolled her eyes, "I know," she shook her head, "That isn't the point of this though. Setting the record for how quickly you completed it is just a testament to how rash you are."

Anakin opened his mouth, as though he were about to argue with her, but snapped it shut as she looked at him almost…expectantly. He wasn't quite sure why that bothered him so much, that she seemed to expect him to snap and argue with her. He knew he would have, had he not seen her face, he knew that even if he HAD seen the expression and she had been Obi-Wan he would have continued anyway. But…he…didn't want to. He didn't want her to just expect him to argue with every detail and not listen. That was the point of all this, wasn't it? To improve, to get better, to give his Master the shock of his life when he returned to a better Padawan than he'd left?

"How so?" he asked, refraining from smirking at the surprised blink she gave him, clearly not having expected him to calmly inquire instead of argue why his record was important.

Amira started to smile after the brief shock passed, "You ran in here," she gestured at the room, "You ran through it, wanting to finish it quickly. Speed isn't always important, sometimes it can be dangerous. Like when you wanted to help the Senator," she offered as an example, "You were willing to give your aid, to fight an enemy you didn't even know, and, as you admitted, could have made it much worse. You would be just as eager to pick up your lightsaber and fight someone than to hold back and wait, to consider if you even NEED your saber or if talking and a peaceful solution can be achieved. You wouldn't have started shouting at me and accusing me of influencing your Master if you'd paused to consider there were other answers or options or even thought to how I'd even do such a thing," she added the last part when she saw him open his mouth.

"Perhaps," he begrudgingly admitted, "But how is this going to teach me not to be rash?"

She reached down and pulled out a strip of cloth from a pocket on her vest, "Tie this to my wrist," she held up her wrist to him. He was giving her that look again that seemed to say he thought she was losing her mind, but did it anyway. She nodded and took the other end of the cloth…to tie it to his wrist as well.

"What are you doing?" he asked, echoing a question she had given him during another 'lesson.'

She looked at him intently a long while, searching his eyes for something, before taking a deep breath, "Trusting you," she told him, a solemn quality to her voice...when she pulled out a second strip of cloth and lifted her hands, his one hand going with her, to tie it around her eyes.

"Amira…" she could hear his voice sounded startled.

"I'm trusting you, Skywalker," she repeated, "You…guide me through the course. You keep me safe."

"Are you out of your mind?!" he shook her hand, as though about to tug it to him and pull the cloth off it.

So she reached out quickly with her other hand to stop him, placing her hand over his as he was indeed about to tug at the cloth that bound them together, "No," she cut in, "How else are you going to learn to think of the consequences, to be cautious, to consider the options, if not like this?" she squeezed his hand slightly as it rested under hers, "Pretend this isn't a simulation, think of if my life were really in your hands. You hold it in them, Anakin," she offered his name for this one, "I am trusting you with it. Consider all that is around you and…guide me through it."

Anakin stared at her with wide eyes for what she was saying, for what she was attempting to do. She was…she was actually trusting him with this. It was going to be entirely up to HIM to get her through that course unharmed. If he hurried through it, she would fall or be harmed, he would miss an attack and she'd be harmed. If he tried to pull her along, she might stumble. He would HAVE to be careful, to consider every single move he made and what it would mean for her as well. It wasn't just HIM on the line now, even though it was a mere simulation, it wasn't just him facing it. He was responsible for someone else, his decisions would impact what happened to her. If he did something wrong, if he made a move too…rashly, she would be harmed.

If it had been just him, he wouldn't care…and he supposed that was what the rashness was about. He didn't care so long as he knew HE would be alright or that HE would succeed, this time it wasn't just him.

He swallowed hard, "I don't think I can do this…" he admitted quietly.

Amira just smiled and patted his hand before letting go, as though knowing he wouldn't try to pull the cloth off again, "I think you can," she offered with a shrug, before seeming to roll her eyes even with the blindfold over them, "And it's just a simulation, Skywalker. I've set it so it will not truly harm us, leave us sore if we're struck, yes, but it won't kill us. I'm not sure I trust you THAT much yet."

Anakin just looked at her a moment longer, "But…you DO trust me?"

She let out a breath, "I'm starting to," she agreed, "And I'm offering you this to prove if I should keep doing so."

Anakin nodded slowly, glancing at the holographic course before them, and taking a step towards it.

If he happened to turn his hand after a moment and take her hand in his own…well, it was just to help guide her along more.

That as all.

Just that.

~8~

Amira was sore, unbelievably sore. Anakin had done his best during the simulation training, he'd done much better than she'd expected…but she had gotten stunned a few times, gotten zapped and struck here and there along the way. He'd been fuming afterwards, had stalked out of it, feeling as though he'd failed the exercise she'd set up until she'd started laughing and reminded him he'd been rash all his life. The fact that he'd even been able and willing to make an effort to consider his actions was quite an achievement and…she was proud of him for it. He'd seemed rather stunned that she could smile and laugh after she'd tried to trust him and gotten injured for it. She'd just patted his arm as she'd passed him, telling him she'd been trusting him to TRY and the fact that he'd gotten so upset over it all meant he hadn't wanted or planned or intended for her to get hurt. That he really had put effort into being patient and considerate if he was reacting to the fact it hadn't paid off. And that was a step, and that was what mattered. She'd left him with a squeeze of the shoulder and a remark that she just might trust him more.

Though now she was reconsidering that, not only was she sore…she was terrified.

"Come on!" Anakin shouted from…quite a distance below her.

Ok, not a LARGE distance but a reasonable enough distance for her to feel on edge and hesitant. She was on an upper level of the Temple, in one of the halls that allowed them to see down a few levels. Anakin was below her, grinning up at her, his hands crossed as he began HIS next 'lesson' for her this time. They'd had to pause their meetings a day or so, the two of them had just been too sore to even consider going through what the other had undoubtedly planned to 'help' them improve. It hadn't stopped her from practicing with her saber, but it had left them with time apart…and Anakin more than enough time to work out this situation.

She was silently cursing herself for agreeing to this plan of his to work together and help each other.

"Can we not start with something simpler?" she called down to him.

"You're never going to learn to Force Jump if you don't, you know, jump!" was his wise reply.

She bit her lip, sitting on the ledge of the upper level, gripping the edge of it tightly in her hands, her knuckles turning white.

"We could start closer to the ground!"

"Just jump!"

"I'm not going to jump!" she shook her head, "I jump, I'll end up falling!"

"And I'll catch you," he countered.

"I'd rather not test that!" she could see Anakin roll her eyes even from her height, and her eyes widened as she saw him moving, her mind taking only a second to realize what he was doing before she screamed, "Anakin don't!"

But it was too late, he swiped one of his arms across before him and she felt herself being pulled off the ledge and falling towards the ground. She couldn't have tried to concentrate and use the Force to slow her descent if she wanted to as she plummeted, screaming as she went…

Till she landed…right in Anakin's arms, the wind knocked out of her.

"I didn't think you'd mean you'd literally fall," he joked, smirking at her.

But she was in NO mood for that, glaring at him with tears in her eyes that seemed to startle him, making him frown, as though realizing just then that he'd likely made a rather LARGE mistake in doing what he had.

"Let. Go. Of. Me," she nearly hissed at him, starting to squirm in his arms and kick her legs till he let go and dropped her feet to the ground, "You…" she reached out and shoved him in the chest, "You…" and again, "You…argh!" she ground out, hitting him in the shoulder hard as she stalked past him.

"Amira…" he hurried after her, trying to get in front of her, "Amira wait!"

She spun around to face him, nearly causing him to crash into her as she nearly spat fire at him, "What part of 'I have a hard time manipulating the Force' was so difficult for you to comprehend?!" she didn't give him a chance to respond before she let out another frustrated half-scream and turned to storm off once more.

"Amira!" he managed to reach out for her this time, grabbing at her arms to try and stop her, but she quickly (and more than a bit painfully) slapped his hands away with each attempt, "I'm sorry!" he tried to apologize, but she just kept going, "Amira…will you stop slapping me!?" he huffed as she did it again, she just shot him a glare over her shoulder and kept moving, "Look, I'm sorry, I really am," he tried to move in front of her, "I just…I thought it would be the best way to teach you to Force Jump…"

"To push me to my death?!" it got her to stop moving at least, having her round on him once more.

"I was always going to be there to catch you," he defended, almost hurt that she thought he'd really let her be hurt by the fall, "I meant that I thought it would be best to learn through experience. It was how I learned and…"

"Well, in case it escaped your notice, Skywalker, not all of us are like you!" she huffed, crossing her arms, "Not all of us have your abilities or aptitude. Just because _you_ can do something and pick it up so easily, does _not_ mean all of us can do it so quickly or _at all_!"

"I…"

"I _told_ you," she cut in, "I told you that I had trouble manipulating the Force. You should have known better than to do that to me! It was different with you! When I fought you in the training room, you are already skilled and adept with a lightsaber, you could defend yourself, you and your reflexes and your oh-so great skills. You merely needed to refine them. This?" she shook her head and he could see she was barely keeping her tears in, "This is not something I am skilled at!"

He swallowed hard as her words hit him hard, he HAD known, she'd told him her failings in trying to use the Force like that, and he'd…

He closed his eyes as another wave of guilt hit him, he'd essentially used it against her. He'd put her in a situation she wasn't prepared for or even ready to face and shoved her right into it. He'd thought she'd react, that her instincts would kick in and the Force would flow through her, like it had for him when he'd begun to test his abilities. But he'd never had the trouble she'd described in using the Force, it always came easy to him…she struggled and he'd put her in a situation where she'd had no chance of success. She had given him this chance to HELP her and he'd…

"I'm sorry," he told her, his voice quiet, thankful that she was still standing before him, listening to him plead for her forgiveness, "You gave me your trust in simulator room, I…I shouldn't have abused it here."

Amira was silent, giving him a hard stare, "No," she agreed, "You shouldn't have," she shook her head at him, "Do you do this to your Master too?"

"What?" he frowned.

"Because if you do, I can understand why he fears for you," she continued, crossing her arms more tightly before her, "Your Master trusts you. He trusts you to listen to him, to do as he says. If he has a plan and tells you to do something, he expects you to do it. He expects that you trust HIM, trust his decision, as much as he trusts that you'll listen to him. If you veer away from what your Master tells you to do, expressly orders you to do, you could jeopardize everything, endanger not just yourself but your Master. He is trusting you to see your part, your HALF of a plan through. If you fail because you choose to do something different, the entire plan fails. Even if you disagree, even if you feel your plan will work better, you should still trust that your Master knows what he's talking about and just DO it! Because your Master is counting on YOU not to betray his trust either."

Anakin looked down at that, unable to help but think of all the times he'd argued with his Master, all the times he'd openly disagreed and challenged him, and…all the times that he'd interfered, that he'd changed a plan, did something against orders…and just how _well_ those times turned out. Obi-Wan was wise, he was and…he truly hadn't thought just of what it meant for his Master to give him an order. It wasn't that he was trying to control him, was it? It wasn't that he was exerting control. He was…trusting his Padawan to trust his wisdom and his plan and choices.

And he'd failed, each time, hadn't he?

Trust was two-way. How could he expect his Master to trust him, if his disobedience seemed to not return the favor? How could he expect his Master to think him ready for the Trials if he didn't trust his Master's opinion? Obi-Wan had expressed his trust in so many ways…and all he'd done was counter it, give the man reason after reason not to…that wasn't the way of a Jedi. That wasn't the path of a Jedi Knight. In constantly fighting his Master on his plans and thoughts, all he was truly doing was saying he didn't trust the man's judgment. And Obi-Wan's judgment had been a major factor in keeping them both alive. He owed his Master more respect than he'd been giving him, more trust than he'd shown him.

He looked up only when he heard a shifting to see Amira turn to leave, "Wait!" he reached out, taking her hand.

She stopped, but didn't turn around.

"Amira…" he swallowed hard, feeling her shaking under his hand.

He owed her as well, she'd trusted him and his arrogance that HE knew her abilities more than she did could have cost him that. She had been right to say that only their Masters truly knew what they were capable of, because they'd seen them growing and seen them face their challenges, watched them struggle and offered help. He'd only known her a short while, he couldn't know how badly she struggled to connect to the Force, and he shouldn't have assumed he knew better. The truth was arrogant…and now it might have cost him the friendship he'd formed with her.

And the thought of losing that…

He couldn't bear it.

"I…I AM sorry."

Amira was quiet, "I know you are," she spoke, her voice hushed, but he could hear a tremor in it, "But right now, Anakin, I need time to find the courage to forgive you."

And with that, she pulled her hand away and walked off, leaving Anakin to watch her go in resignation that he had brought this on himself…

A/N: Poor Anakin, bit of trouble popping up :(

I hope it didn't come across as hypocritical of Amira to react like this to Anakin's last 'lesson.' When she started their duel, it was knowing from prior experience, that he COULD block her blow or jump away from it. And, with him as the 'Chosen One' and his confidence in his skills, he would defend that assumption. Here, with Amira, she didn't want to do the lesson that way, tried to get him to stop, and had already told him she COULDN'T do something like this for various reasons. So when he pushed her she was truly frightened and lashed out :(

Some notes on reviews...

I can't say just yet about the antagonist, we'll have to wait and see ;)

Unfortunately I have been plagiarized that many times :( The most recent one the plagiarizer posted 3 stories in a series, and of those 3 stories...they plagiarized 8 total of mine (they literally switched off between two stories a peace per scene break at one point) :( It gets to be crazy at times, I've had to make a 'Plagiarizers' page on my tumblr for proof to request help reporting them when they pop up :(

We'll definitely see other POVs on Anakin and Amira yup :) A few other Jedi POVs on them as well before the series is over ;)

I can say there'll be a hint of if he'll go to Tatooine in the next chapter, and more of a solid one in the one after that ;)

If I continued, Luke and Leia might end up AUish, if they even exist. They might be a different set of twins, or an older/younger sibling, their parents would likely be Amira and Anakin if it even ends up possible at that point }:)

Palpatine is definitely an epic chess master. It makes me curious who would win in a game, him or the Master from Doctor Who (or even Moriarty from Sherlock) }:)

I actually did watch the (and enjoy watching) deleted scenes ;) Also spent a couple hours trying to look up exact dates for events in the movie to help get a better timeline in my head so I DO know Anakin was on Naboo a while, that'll actually be important for a twist to come :) Just need patience to get there ;) As for DW, of my current Time Ladies, only 1 actually met the Doctor after the war for the first time :) One was kept from meeting other incarnations but did keep abreast of what was happening with him and met a Classic Doctor during the war, one tried not to meet other incarnations of him but did run into them, one was married to and met all his incarnations save 1, and another met (in a similar sense to meeting online and not physically) all incarnations of the Doctor in his head, and all of them had to work to form or rebuild past relationships with him, get to know the war-scarred version of him and how it changed him more than regeneration could, to create a new foundation for a relationship :) For my future Time Ladies, 1 has met 2 other incarnations of him (not his first) briefly on Gallifrey, one has met all his incarnations, and one never heard of him (or the Master). I would LOVE to do a Classic series story, to do the 4th or 5th or 1st or 3rd or 7th or other Doctors, and I plan to do AUs of my work that start on Gallifrey and continue to the Classic Series as well. Literally the ONLY reason I haven't physically written one yet and can only do actual series that start on 9/10/11 is I haven't SEEN the series :( A very small reason is that I first started writing my Time Ladies for the sole purpose of having the Doctor not be alone and the last of his kind after the war, which necessitated them to travel mostly with 9/10/11/12 after the war but I would very much like to do a Classic series story :) The problem is, I've only been able to read summaries, seen clips, and read transcripts, which isn't the same as watching the show and I like to _see_ things first. I don't have the money to buy DVD after DVD of the Classic Series or even Bootlegs of it, I can't watch them on my computer as my soundcard has been shot for a while now and I don't have the money to fix it, I can't download the episodes as I don't have the memory on my computer or the money to buy an external hard drive for it, and I don't have the time to binge watch it as I would love to do if I had the Classic Series :( Even attempting 1 episode a day it would take about 2 years before I could even _start_ a Classic Series story :( I plan to see it one day, when I have the time and money, and then you can bet I'll be doing Classic Series stories :) At the moment, it's more a 'I have to make do/the best with what I have' and I don't have access or the ability to watch the Classic Series :(


	5. Humble Apologies, Take 2

Humble Apologies, Take 2

Her lungs burned and her limbs felt like lead, but she pushed through it, focusing intently on her saber, on slicing through the air, shifting and turning, making sure her footwork was impeccable because she couldn't afford for it to be anything but that. Amira grunted as a particular turn made her twist more than she intended, pushing what little breath she had in her out from the force of it. She was overdoing it, she knew, pushing herself harder than she should. She was swinging her arms with more force, carrying one more into the other in ways that were sure to strain her muscles later. She wasn't breathing properly, trying to focus so much on the path of her saber before her. So she took a deep suck of air and let it out, trying to remember to breathe as she went. Her feet hurt, her knees as well, her back was aching, she'd been at it for…she couldn't even tell how long, but she couldn't stop now.

There was just…too much, too much going on in her mind and she needed this, she needed her saber and her practice to clear it.

Two things plagued her mind, drove her to move faster, push harder. She had gone to seek out Master Yoda early that morning, before his lessons with the Younglings began, just needing to speak to him and ease her mind about concerns.

Every night, every night since she had stormed off from another certain Padawan, she'd had nightmares. It wasn't supposed to be like that, her nightmares, the only nightmare she had, only happened every so often, not every night. It had been…days since she had been able to have a full night's rest, the nightmare coming back every single time. It was worrying her. When it was just briefly, here and there, she could convince herself that she was just having some sort of odd dream. Now that it had happened every night she'd been so afraid that the thoughts she'd pushed aside, that it might be a vision, might be true. She'd needed counsel and Master Yoda was the only one she could think to go to. Her Master was aware that, every so often, she'd wake up startled, and she didn't want to worry her Master over something that might actually be nothing. Her Master contacted her periodically as she attended to the Senator on Naboo, checking in, making sure she was continuing with her studies as promised.

She didn't want to distract her Master with concerns for herself, her Master had told her to seek out Master Yoda in her place while she was on her mission so it wasn't like it would be imposing on Master Yoda to speak to him.

But she'd been a coward.

When it had actually come to speaking to him about her dreams, she hadn't been able to say what had plagued her. She was already as far away from being ready for the Trials as she could be, she didn't want to seem like she couldn't handle a simple, single nightmare! She didn't want to be seen as weaker than she knew she was already viewed. She'd come close to the truth, however, she'd inquired about something that might help her resolve her nightmares on her own. She _wanted_ to be able to do it on her own. Her Master had taught her so much, Master Yoda offered such wisdom, and even…a certain other Padawan had helped her for a time, but she wanted to be able to resolve her nightmare on her own. It wasn't something she spoke of often, if ever. Her Master knew, she had told Neeva only once what she dreamed and her Master never asked her again about it, only inquiring if it was the same nightmare should she catch her Padawan waking from it at a later date.

She'd explained how she was having trouble connecting to the Force, in manipulating it, to Master Yoda. She'd expressed a concern with how she couldn't seem to focus enough to meditate effectively, to allow herself the chance to practice in tapping into the Force. She'd told him about how, whenever she tried, it was like something shocked her out of it, described the feeling of fear and sorrow and horror that accompanied it. Master Yoda had been troubled by her confession, more so that she hadn't come to him sooner about it than that she was experiencing something like she was. He had offered her a different suggestion than her Master had, one that he'd instructed her rather pointedly to come see him again if even that failed her to help meditate.

She needed to feel safe.

Her Master had been wise in offering her a suggestion to do something that cleared her mind, often that was what Younglings had difficulty with, focusing on nothing, on just the Force around them, their minds so curious about so many things it was hard to quiet their thoughts. Her Master's advice would have been very useful for them, however for her, it didn't quite help. She WAS able to clear her mind, very much so, and Master Yoda said that was the problem. She was doing everything right, just as he'd taught her so long ago, she was settling into a meditative state, her mind blank…too blank, if that were possible. Her mind was so open that it was allowing lingering feelings from her subconscious to drift through to her, she was almost sure that he had suspected that there had been something else keeping her from meditating because of that last remark.

Something was causing her to fear and the more she pushed it to the back of her mind, the more it came to the forefront when her mind was relaxed and her natural mental barriers were down to connect to the Force. When her senses expanded and the calm filled her, it relaxed all areas of her mind, and what was bothering her came snapping back before her.

She was afraid of something, she'd admitted that much to him when she expressed how the shock made her feel, so she needed to feel safe while she meditated. She needed to feel like she would be protected when that feeling of fear struck at her. If she felt safe, the fear would lessen and she would be able to push through and retain her meditations.

So there she was, in the training rooms once more, working harder than ever with her saber. She felt safe with her Master, it was true, she trusted Neeva to always watch over her and protect her…but Neeva wasn't there. She felt safest with her lightsaber in hand, when she was going through the motions of stance and attack, parry and block, offensive and defensive moves, to know that she was skilled enough to protect herself, it made her feel _safe_. And she needed that. She had been using her saber work as a means to clear her mind and exhaust herself for her meditations before, but now she was focusing on how it made her feel, the powerful sensation of being in control of herself and her movements, of her own defense and knowing it was strong enough to keep her out of danger. She focused on the feeling of being safe.

Or she was trying to, she was trying to focus on that feeling of safety, trying to use her saber to clear her mind as well so that she could only focus on that…but another thought kept invading her mind no matter how much she tried to push it away.

And that thought was…

"Skywalker!" she gasped as she spun around in a wide swing of her saber, only for something to catch it and block it mid-move, Anakin standing just behind her with his saber out and activated, having seeming to been waiting for the right moment to cut in.

Had she really gotten so caught up in her practice that she hadn't sensed him entering or getting so close? She had been having an easier and easier time sensing him since they began helping each other, so for that to happen…she must have been more focused than she realized.

"What are you doing here?" she frowned, not moving her saber away from his, though her expression hardened.

Anakin just looked at her a moment before he pulled his saber down and to his side, deactivating it, "I wanted to apologize," he told her, "Amira I…I really am, truly sorry. I…" he let out a frustrated breath, "I was arrogant and I…I didn't listen to you. I didn't listen to what you were telling me you were capable of the…the same way that I thought my own Master didn't listen to me. And that was wrong of me."

He hadn't stopped thinking of that since she'd walked away from him in tears. He hadn't meant to frighten her, he hadn't meant to make her feel uncomfortable, he hadn't meant to cause her such distress. And as he thought on it more, he realized he should have listened.

ALL he had done since he had met her was complain about his Master, and how Obi-Wan never listened when he told the man he was ready to do something. Obi-Wan never thought he was ready enough. And there he had been, doing the exact same to Amira but in the opposite sense. She had told him, repeatedly, that she wasn't able to do a Force Jump, that she wasn't ready to do it from the height he'd set her up on. He hadn't listened, he'd thought she was too ready to try it and she could have gotten badly hurt if he hadn't caught her.

It had been a…crippling blow to his pride to realize what he'd done, that he'd turned into his Master, in a sense, to do that to her. He understood now, he did, and he felt like the worst sort of person in the Galaxy. His Master was just trying to protect him, in keeping him and his arrogance from clouding his judgment of his own skills. He might have thought he was the best teacher in the Temple, he might have thought that, had he been a Knight and Amira his Padawan…and then his Padawan would have gotten hurt, badly. And it would have been his fault for overestimating her.

He couldn't count how many times he had told his Master he was ready for something only to be denied. And now he realized, Obi-Wan had a good reason to do so. If he allowed his Padawan to try, knowing and feeling he truly wasn't ready, it was likely that he WASN'T ready. Amira had been right, no one here but Obi-Wan really knew him and his skills and what he was ready to do, not even himself. He overestimated himself many times, he believed his abilities to be more than what they likely were. His Master was trying to keep him from harming himself, from starting something before he was ready and prepared to do it. HE could have gotten hurt, numerous times, if Obi-Wan hadn't stopped him trying something.

Obi-Wan DID let him do things, when he was sure that he could handle it. He didn't like being unable to do things, but worse yet he didn't like failing at doing them. He ended up in a foul mood, he snapped, he wasn't pleasant to be around or deal with, his pride would be wounded, his confidence and all it served to do was make him more determined to try it again and again and again to get it right, pushing himself more…in dangerous ways. Obi-Wan was trying to stem that off, to let him progress and try things when he knew success was likely. His Master was trying to protect him from disappointment and other negative emotions.

And he'd ignored that, looked past it, seen it as his Master holding him back, and he was…but not the same way he'd originally thought. His Master really was trying to protect him, was looking at what he knew of his skills and using them as a basis.

He had looked at Amira and thought that her skills would grow as his had, that she had more skills than she let on, that she was ready to do things. He had been projecting himself onto her, he realized now, he wanted more out of her than she could give at that moment. He expected her to be on his level when not many were. And he didn't say that in arrogance this time, but as a lesson. She had been…very harshly correct in telling him that not everyone could do as he did or learn like he did or even learn some skills he possessed. He had assumed something about her and it nearly injured her.

His Master would never assume things about him, but base it entirely on knowledge and what he saw of his Padawan. He felt like his Master didn't push him and test him enough in the right way, so he'd taken it upon himself to do it to Amira, to do what he wished his Master would to him. And they were different people, she was right, and it had nearly hurt her dearly.

Just the thought of something happening to her, of HIM being responsible for that sort of hurt and pain…it had made him ill to think of. Thoughts had swarmed his mind of every single way that the 'exercise' could have gone wrong, of all the injuries she could have sustained. She could have fallen on her leg or her arm and broken them, on her back and paralyzed it, on her neck and…and died. Alright, it wasn't THAT high up that most of those were likely, but it was high enough for her to be frightened, it was high enough to really hurt her if he hadn't been there and ready to catch her.

He…almost hadn't, caught her that is. He'd thought, as he watched her fall, that she'd manage to slow herself down. He truly had…and when she hadn't, he'd only just managed to open his arms and move to catch her. He'd only moved as close as he had originally because of her shouts, to humor her, make her think he'd catch her. And even that thought, that he had almost tricked her into jumping with the belief he'd catch her when he hadn't planned to sickened him.

He hadn't stopped thinking about the tears in Amira's eyes, the tremor in her voice, how she had been so hurt and scared and walked away from him. She had left the room, had left him, wanting to be away from him. And it…hurt. It hurt him that she had fled him, that she hadn't wanted to be around him.

The next day, he'd wanted to seek her out, but she'd avoided him. He'd found her in the training rooms but she hadn't given an indication that she'd sensed him so he'd thought she was ignoring him. He hadn't expected it to hurt like it had, to feel like he'd just lost something that he hadn't even realized he'd wanted to keep. He saw her around the Temple, caught sight of her studying in the Archives, walking the halls, eating with other Padawans, always keeping her gaze from landing on him. He hadn't even realized that he missed her attention, missed her voice and her talks, missed her presence, till then. And all he wanted was for it to come back, for her to come back.

It kept him up till late the last night, thinking about it, thinking about her. It was driving him mad, he was sure of it, how much he wished to apologize to her. HIM, apologize. He never did to his Master, not genuinely, not often that is. He would fight and defend his actions even if he said 'Sorry Master' he wasn't truly sorry. But with Amira, his heart hurt to think he'd pained her the way he had, it felt like he couldn't breathe knowing she was angry with him, and to know that he may have shattered the tentative trust she'd given him…it stirred up something in him that had him wanting to break curfew to find her and apologize right that second. She had trusted him, someone other than his Master had trusted him, and he'd hurt them in his arrogance.

He'd only just fallen asleep when a nightmare hit him, the same one he'd had for many nights now, since just before Senator Amidala was almost assassinated on her way to the Senate, of his mother in pain and calling to him. But last night had been different, last night he'd dreamt of it, but Amira's voice had also been there, shouting to him, 'No! Anakin don't!' He'd woken up in a cold sweat and knew that this HAD to be the day that he sought her out, cornered her, trapped her if he had to, till she listened to him and realized he really was so sorry.

"I just wanted you to know, that I will never do something like that to you again," he told her, "I will listen to you if you tell me you're not ready to do something and I won't ever force you to do that again. I promise you that, I…I will make the most solemn oath I can think of if it will help assure you of that and…"

"Anakin," Amira sighed, cutting him off gently, seeing that he was genuinely sorry, she'd never heard him speak like this before, granted she hadn't known him long but the fact that he was actually seeking her out to say he was sorry, she could tell that wasn't something he normally did. And, unlike the last time he'd 'apologized' to her, he didn't go into another rant about his Master but was actually seeming to take responsibility of his own faults, "I…I forgive you."

"You do?!"

She had to smile at how his eyes lit up at that, how his expression had morphed into cautious hope…he really had wanted her to forgive him, hadn't he? She didn't think that her opinion of him and trust in him would truly mean that much to him, "I do. I…don't think I can trust you," she held up her hand to stop him talking, "Not _yet_," she added, "What you did was…" she shook her head, not even needing to say what it was as he had already bowed his head in shame just thinking of it, it had really affected him, hadn't it? She shook her head again, focusing on him, "But I understand you're sorry and I forgive you."

He smiled at that, "Thank you," he murmured, before shifting and glancing around at the room, "It's your day…" he offered, a hopeful look in his eye as he held up the hilt of his lightsaber.

She rolled her eyes at that and moved her lightsaber into a ready position, nodding at him to do the same as he grinned and activated his saber, both readying themselves for another duel.

~8~

Had Anakin thought the day would be spent working on his saber skills with her, his expectations were quickly shot down when, not five minutes later, Amira was on the ground and not from any attack he had launched at her. They had just been fighting, just dueling, him making an effort to be as silent as possible, showing her he really had paid attention to her lessons and was taking her advice to heart. His back had been to her as he'd tried to lean to attack to his right, she'd blocked it and he'd spun, intending to attack on his left, to follow the spin around and swing at her. And he had, he'd swung…but Amira hadn't been standing there.

It took him only a second to realize she was on the ground, having sunk to her knees, her saber rolling away from where she'd dropped it, deactivating as it went, her one hand on the ground by her knees to brace her while the other pressed to her head. She looked pale, shaky, as though she might truly collapse into a faint any moment.

"Amira!" he quickly dropped to his knees, deactivating his saber as well as he reached out to take her face in his hands, "What is it? What's wrong?" he lifted her face slightly to search her eyes for clues, a small fear gripping him as she blinked rapidly, as though trying to focus on him.

She swallowed hard, "I'm fine…" she murmured.

Had her words not slurred together, he was sure he'd still not believe her.

"Jedi shouldn't lie," he remarked, trying to be light, trying to cover his concern.

"Not a Jedi yet," she closed her eyes a moment, shaking her head to clear it, before blinking up at him again, "I'm fine."

"You're not."

"I am."

"You're NOT."

"Are you assuming that about me too now?"

"If it means you tell me what's wrong, then yes," his expression grew hard at that.

She sighed, "I just…I got dizzy."

"Why?"

She just shrugged.

He frowned at that, "How long have you been practicing?" he had to ask. When he'd entered she had looked already well into a workout.

"A bit after curfew was over."

"That was hours ago!" he stared at her.

"I've gone longer," she defended.

"Did you eat anything?" he'd been at the first meal and hadn't seen her.

"Haven't been very hungry."

"You need to eat."

"And you need to…" she blinked a moment, her brow scrunching as though something had just hit her, "Why are you touching my face?"

Anakin almost laughed at that, at how random it had been, but realized he HAD been holding her face for a longer time than was proper and quickly pulled them away, wiping his hands nervously on his thighs, forcing himself to ignore the fact that his hands were tingling now, forcing himself to push the thought that his thumbs might have been stroking her cheeks slightly out of his mind as well.

"Sorry," he mumbled, looking away.

Amira sighed and sat back on her legs, the two of them falling into silence a moment, "I don't think I can continue saber training today," she admitted after a few more minutes, "I…may have overdone it."

"May have?" he shot her a look, an eyebrow raised.

"Did, then," she shrugged, rubbing her head, "What else would you like to work on?"

"No," he shook his head, "No, you should rest. We can just skip your day and…"

"You gave the last lesson," she cut in, "It's my turn."

"My lesson didn't exactly go well."

"Doesn't matter," she stated firmly, "You came up with a lesson, we went through with it, it's MY turn. So pick something to work on!"

He frowned at how she'd snapped at him, but sighed, in the short time he'd known her he was starting to get a grasp on the tones of her voice, especially when she snapped at him, this one was more a result of her own exhaustion than any real irritation at him. So he paused and thought about the things his Master wanted him to work on, trying to find one that would require the least amount of energy, "Talking."

"Talking?"

He nodded, "My Master has expressed I don't think before I speak. Could we work on that?"

Amira frowned a moment, trying to think of how she could help him in that area, "I think…" she nodded slowly, "How about…I say something, a…statement, and you have to counter it as politely, reasonably, and respectfully as you can manage," she shifted, extending her legs out before her to nudge his leg with her foot, "If it's at all possible for you to be any of those three."

"Funny," he shot her a mock-offended look but the smile tugging at his lips severely lessened the effect of it, "Sounds _reasonable_," he shot back.

She rolled her eyes at that, but thought about what the first statement should be, "The current political system is flawless."

Anakin snorted, till she threw a pointed look at him and he sighed, taking a deep breath, considering his words, "I believe the system could be improved," he offered politely.

"How so?" she tilted her head.

"We need a system where the politicians sit down and discuss the problem, agree what's in the best interests of all the people, and then do it."

"Isn't that what they already do?" she countered, "The Republic is made of many different people, all of whom have different ideas and ideals and thoughts about how to solve a problem, some unwilling to agree to anything but their own plans."

"Then they should be made to agree with the best plan presented."

"And how would that happen?"

"By entering into aggressive negotiations."

Amira gave him a look for a moment, before starting to smile when she saw his teasing smirk, "They are not going to accept 'negotiation by lightsaber,'" she shook her head, "Take this seriously, Skywalker."

"Fine, fine," he rolled his eyes, waving it off. He had been aiming for that, even though he knew she had been asking for him to be serious, he'd started off as being very serious…and then had to throw that joke in at the end. He just…he wanted to catch her off guard, get a smile out of her first, reassure himself she really had forgiven him, "I'll be serious from now on."

"I'll believe that when I see it," she muttered, shaking her head at him again, "Alright…" she sighed, biting her lip, not sure if she should say it, but it might be the one subject that he would be serious about, "Tatooine is the harshest planet in the Galaxy."

There was silence and, for a single moment, she was afraid she'd overstepped her bounds in saying what she had…but Anakin was just sitting there, staring at her blankly.

"Skywalker?" she nudged his let cautiously, "You're supposed to counter."

"There's nothing to counter though," he remarked, "It IS a harsh planet. It's…" he ran a hand through his hair, trying to find the words, "At first, when I first started my training, I might have fought you on that. I was very homesick and very lonely. My training and my mother were the only pleasant things I had to think about. But…"

"The more you thought on your mother, the more you missed your home," she guessed.

"And the more I hated it," he added, looking down, "I know Hatred is…dangerous for a Jedi. But, when I was younger, I couldn't help but start to hate my planet more and more."

"It was your home though," she shook her head, not understanding.

"No, I never had a real home. Home was always where my Mom was," he glanced at her, "You wouldn't understand."

She nodded at that, "I wouldn't," she agreed, "I was here as a Youngling, I…have no memory of my family, if I had a family, or my planet. All I have ever known is the Order and the Jedi," she eyed him for a long moment, "Sometimes I think you're lucky, Anakin."

"Me?" he scoffed, "You're the lucky one. You were able to train when you should have, you didn't have to deal with the longing of leaving your home."

"But you have a home to remember," she reminded him, "That…is a gift. The only thing I know of my home planet is what I've seen and learned through the Archives and reading about it. I have…never been there, not since I was taken from there and I likely will never be allowed to go there unless a mission calls me there if I ever become a Knight. You, at least, hold real memories of what it looked like, of what it was like to BE there."

"What it looked like?" his snort this time was scathing, more from his memories of the planet in question than her remarks, "Sand," he told her, "It was a desert planet, covered in sand, in coarse, rough, irritating sand that gets _everywhere_. Water was scarce, rain even more so. I was a slave, I was born to slavery, and slaves are not treated well. And the heat?" he shook his head, "The heat and the sand storms and…" he cut himself off, looking away, "It was a harsh planet."

"I don't think you should cast it off so quickly."

He looked back at her, "Why? Because it's my home planet?"

"Because everything you are is a result of your planet," she countered, "The sand, it was rough and coarse and irritating, and it's made you gentle, it's made you observant and wary of everything. It made you cautious. The water and rain, the scarcity of it, it's made you appreciate when it happens, when you have access to it. I have seen you at Meals, Skywalker, you eat every bit of food given to you, you waste nothing. That sort of appreciation can only come from knowing what it's like to not have something, to not have water or food. The heat made you endure extremes better than most, the sand storms made your senses sharper, made you more in tune with the changes happening around you."

"And being a slave?" Anakin asked, swallowing hard to push the lump in his throat down from what she was saying.

"It made you kind," she told him with a smile, "It made you compassionate, it made you want to fight for freedom and protect life, because you know how cruel the world can be, more so than many others. It makes you want to fight harder to help, to protect the weak. Everything you hate about your planet, Anakin, made you the person you are now…and…he is quite something."

Anakin stared at her, looked her right in the eye as though trying to see if she was lying to him. He had heard compliments from many others, praises and admiration and approval, it had likely inflated his sense of ego quite a bit over the years. Being accepted into the Order, despite the fact he had been too old, being a special case hadn't helped. He had heard many things as he grew older and trained, but…never something like this.

Never something so earnest and something that told him he had been special even on Tatooine and with nothing to do with being a Jedi or a Chosen One but just from being a slave boy. He hadn't ever thought of it like that, of just how much of himself came from being raised the way he had, on a harsh desert planet as a slave, just how much of it had led him to be a compassionate Padawan that wanted to stop slavery and DID want to help others. He trained because of that, because he wanted to be the best Jedi, because he wanted to do good in the Galaxy and stop the oppression, to help people that had been harmed, like he had been.

"Next statement," he spoke quietly.

Amira nodded slowly at that, understanding what she'd said had very much overwhelmed him. She had a feeling not many people spoke to him of Tatooine, of how he was raised, or how he had become the person he was today because of his life there. She just wanted him to understand that everything in their past made them who they are today. Whether it meant training as a Youngling or coming in at an older age, he had certain characteristics as a result of living the life of a slave that none of the other Padawans would be able to claim. His experiences shaped his spirit just as much as his training did.

"You look tired."

He glanced at her, "Is that a comment to counter or an observation?"

"Whichever you'd like to take it," she shrugged, "It's been…a long day," she offered, not just speaking of her exhaustion but also his own bout of being overwhelmed by emotion.

He ran a hand down his face, "I don't sleep well anymore," he admitted, looking down, "I…have dreams, of my mother, starting a short while ago," he continued, not sure why he was telling her this, he'd only spoken of it with his Master but…he wanted her to trust him again, and that meant he would need to return that trust and show her he trusted her as well, "Vivid dreams and I don't know why I keep dreaming about her after so many years apart. I suppose I worry about her. I…I see her in a dark room, calling out to me, begging me to help her. I try to move closer, to call out to her, to reach for her, but she never reaches back. And every time I step towards her she's pulled further away from me, it's like she's trapped there and I can't get to her," he let out a breath, "I left her there, as a slave, on Tatooine. I just…left, I promised myself I'd go back and free her, but I haven't. And she's still there, she's still a slave, and she's still living that life on that planet and…"

Amira bit her lip at that, at hearing the fear and guilt in his voice for his mother, wanting to distract him from it, wanting to let him know he wasn't alone in how the nightmares gripped him with such emotions, "I've had nightmares as well," she offered, making him look up at her, "Not…often, not even recent dreams but more…over many years, the same dream," she glanced at him.

She debated silently with herself about what to tell him, if she should but…he had told her of his mother, of his fears, he was trusting her and…she could trust him with this, it was just a dream after all.

"I am…in the middle of the Temple and…the Younglings are lying around me, so still and quiet they could be sleeping. But then I notice they aren't breathing, I notice there are…wounds on them. I hear a noise and look up and there is someone standing in the door, a…shadow," she shook her head, looking down as though trying to recall more about the dream, "I can never see who it is, but…they hold a lightsaber. And every time, just before they step into the light so I can see them, I wake," she shrugged, giving him a small smile, "Seems we are both enduring the same plight."

"My Master always suggests I meditate on it after I have one," Anakin began, "Does your Master…"

"I haven't been able to meditate well, Skywalker," she reminded him, using his name to try and cast away the seriousness of the moment they'd just had, "I think you recall that."

He smiled a little at that, "What if we try to meditate together?" he offered, "I could…I could use the time to clear my mind and, maybe I can help guide your meditation if you want. You helped me with my thinking before I speak. Now it's my turn to help you, isn't it? And I am very good at meditating," he smiled more.

Amira frowned at that, but nodded, "It couldn't hurt, I suppose," she shrugged at that and shifted, crossing her legs before her as Anakin shifted closer, till their knees were just barely touching.

He reached out a moment, hesitating before he took her hands in his, lowering them to rest between their laps and closed his eyes as she did the same, the two of them taking a deep breath in sync to try and calm themselves enough to begin, both trying to ignore the warmth spreading up their arms from their hands and the way their hearts seemed to pick up speed.

Amira tried, as the session went on, to meditate, to focus enough to really relax and clear her mind. She could actually feel it, that safety she'd been trying to attain with her saber drifting through her. She felt…safe…with Anakin, she actually felt confident that she could meditate this time, that she could get farther in her efforts if she just concentrated on that…but she couldn't.

All she could think about was what Anakin had told her, of his dreams, of his concern for his mother, his guilt and his fear for her and felt the desire rise in her to try and help assuage that, to think of something that would help, to let her mind drift to anything she could do because, even now, even just sitting across from him, she could feel it, she could feel the fear he tried to hide rolling off him, the fear for his mother and that was never good.

Because Fear led to Anger, and Anger led to Hate, and Hate led to the Dark Side.

And she couldn't let that happen, not to Anakin.

A/N: Amira may just have a plan cooking in her head for how to help Anakin, but we'll have to wait and see what it is }:) And now we know what Amira's nightmare is, bit ironic isn't it? }:) Little more insight into Anakin's thoughts on his actions in this chapter ;) He'll still have a bit of work to do to really gain Amira's trust back, but something may be coming very soon that will either force it to grow or shatter it entirely }:) So, while we have an end like this chapter, there's not telling if Amira will succeed or not. Will she keep Anakin from the Dark Side? Will SHE fall to the Dark Side?! Will they end up on opposite sides?! Time will tell }:)

I hope you all liked this little surprise 2nd chapter ;) Tomorrow though we'll only have 1 :)

Some notes on reviews...

I try to make Amira as wise as, I think, other Padawans would be, having been trained as they were longer than Anakin and taught the ways of the Order, the Code, and to respect their Masters from such a young age, it's more she's the only one that's actually talking to him :) I can say we'll see a few scenes of Neeva and Obi-Wan talking about/observing there Padawans ;)

I'm glad you're enjoying the story and the updates :) I try to prewrite a story/series entirely before posting so that I just have editing to do before I really post it :) That way we know a story WILL be finished and that the updates will be quick ;)

Anakin and Amira are definitely going to keep struggling :) I didn't want to make them suddenly improve so much just from one lesson but really have to work at it. They're helping each other make the first steps and set the groundwork to keep growing but it'll still take time...which means more 'lessons' for each of them in the future ;) I can say we'll see their Masters' thoughts on them, along with a few Yoda thoughts here and there, even a Padme and a mystery person's in this story especially ;)


	6. To Respect Thy Master

To Respect Thy Master

Amira paced in the halls just outside one of the larger rooms that Master Yoda often held meditations with the Younglings, trying to keep her thoughts in check, trying to keep her mind calm, not wanting to disturb the goings-on in the room beside her. Younglings were, for as distracted as they could be, very perceptive and infinitely more sensitive to the Force than when they grew older and learned to create barriers. She knew if she was too close or her thoughts too loud that it might be picked up by the ones in the room and the last thing she wanted to do was disturb them. She shouldn't be there, she knew that, she should be somewhere else, on the other side of the Temple and wait till the meditations were over and Master Yoda released the Younglings to find him.

But the thoughts racing through her mind were plaguing her. The plan forming in her thoughts was…dangerous.

Not quite dangerous in the sense that there was an actual and physical danger to see it through, but it was a dangerous request. It could have her be seen as impudent, as immature, idealistic, ignorant, in…

She shook her head, there were far too many words that started with 'i' that could be used to describe her plan and she needed to keep her thoughts and mind focused on the positives of it. She needed to be able to explain what she was thinking and WHY she thought it was necessary. Of course, being but a Padawan learner, she knew that what she thought necessary was likely nothing of the sort. She was still in training, she was still learning, her Master knew better than her as would Master Yoda. And she should not be so arrogant as to think her plan had to be seen through.

And she wasn't, she could hope that it might be seen as something that…not even needed to be done, but that might help.

If Master Yoda saw even a smidge of positivity in what she was going to request, then, surely, that had to mean something, that she was on the right track at the very least. And she would be very open if he had any suggestions or if he wanted her to do something in addition to what she planned. She would even accept, humbly so, if he told her that she should not even consider what she was, that she should banish it from her mind. If he disagreed with what she thought, then he was the authority. She had agreed, in remaining at the Temple, to differ to Master Yoda in place of her Master. What he decided would be final in her mind. Master Yoda was one of the wisest Jedi there were, what he determined from her small hope would be what it was and that would be it. She didn't have it in her to argue with a Master that way, she accepted that they knew better and, if her thoughts were not enough to dissuade them or change their opinion, then SHE didn't know enough and they did.

She bit her lip turning to fall against the wall across from the doors, blowing a small breath through her nose as she sagged against it. Was she even doing the right thing? Not only was this a risky plan, what she wished to do, not only could it blow up in her face entirely and cause FAR more harm than good, damage a…a friend…more than he already was, but…she was effectively going behind his back to do this. This was HIS life, HIS past, HIS fears and she should have no right to even broach a topic like she was with anyone but him first…

But she just…

She wanted to help.

So badly did she want to help. She couldn't explain it, she really couldn't. It was like this…thrumming inside her, this faint buzzing or tingling that had spread through her a few days ago and ALL she had been able to think of since then was coming up with some way to help. She'd never felt this absorbed by an issue before. Often, when her Master would take her on missions, she would silently stand beside Neeva, listen intently, absorb the situation, and remain quiet, listening to her Master as she gave her advice. If she had anything to offer, any questions or concerns, she waited till she and her Master were alone to broach them, or she spoke them when her Master turned to her and asked for her thoughts. She was always very sure to be as respectful as she could be when speaking, even if she was disagreeing with something her Master said, she always tried to make it sound like a question of if what she thought would be better, subtly hinting that she wasn't in full agreement, but opening it for her Master to explain why she might be wrong and why the other plan would be better.

She had to smile at that, shaking her head as she thought of Anakin. He had remarked that she was very diplomatic in her responses, that she held her tongue well, that she had way of disarming his anger with her calm responses. He hadn't understood how she'd been able to do such a thing, how she could counter his beliefs so calmly and without resorting to anger or shouting…for the most part. She had only shrugged at it, not wanting to really tell him the truth of the matter, he already felt so lacking because he'd started his training so late, she hadn't wanted to make him feel worse by reminding him that it was because of THAT that she was better at responding than he was, that she had less issues with her Master than he did.

Younglings were taught right from the start to respect and listen to their Masters, it was drilled into them that they were going to be representatives of the Order whenever they left the Temple or encountered someone that was not of the Order. They would be seen as an example of what ALL Jedi were, if they were disrespectful, others would think ALL Jedi were, and so they were to be on their best behavior at all times when with their Master around others not of the Order. She never spoke out of turn, never spoke unless her Master invited her to, because it would be a sign of dissent and disrespect to do so. Anakin hadn't learned that as deeply as she had, having not been a Youngling when he began. And her answers, because she was never allowed to speak unless spoken to in such cases, her answers had time to form in her mind, to be thought of before she spoke them, to be considered. Anakin did have an issue holding his tongue, but he hadn't been taught like she had NOT to speak in public against their Masters. It was all about respect and, while she knew he respected his Master inordinately, he hadn't met Obi-Wan as a Jedi Knight, but as a mere Padawan Learner.

First impressions were hard to overcome and Anakin, she felt, sometimes saw Obi-Wan as a fellow Padawan instead of his Master.

She nearly laughed at that, first impression. However had Anakin and she managed to become friends after their first meeting? She'd run into him, nearly broken his arm, and then he'd accused her of cheating, tripped her, and shoved her. It was a wonder it had even gotten past the almost-friendship to what she would consider an actual one. They spoke, often, inside and outside of their 'lessons' with each other. They sat at meals and spoke of inconsequential things, past missions with their Masters, tales of training when they were younger, trouble they'd each gotten into. THAT had certainly thrown Anakin for a loop the fact that SHE had gotten in trouble a time or two with her Master. Most of her instances though were her ending up distracted by something and wandering off, getting lost in a market of another planet, following an interesting insect into the forests of another. Mostly, where he gave his Master constant shocks to the heart through his reckless feats, her Master got terrible shocks when she would turn around and find her Padawan missing.

She had gotten better though!

Anakin had laughed when she'd defended that and remarked he felt like he was getting better as well, giving her a soft, thanking look for that. She wouldn't say she flushed, she didn't flush, Jedi didn't, but she felt her cheeks warm as she looked away. His eyes were always so earnest, like she could tell the thoughts drifting through his head, the feelings coursing through his heart, just from a glance in his eyes. They were telling, too telling at times. He seemed to think she was the entire reason that his attitude was improving, she doubted it, stating she'd only reminded him of lessons his Master had already given him.

He'd thrown her own words about his how important his lightsaber was back at her for that, that they were lessons he had _heard_ his Master give often, but, for the first time, he felt like he was actually _learning_ them.

She shook her head, casting those thoughts aside as well, but they were all central to why she was there. She did consider Anakin a friend, a close friend, and…it pained her when he was in pain. She saw it when she greeted him at first meal, in his eyes, when he'd try to smile and pretend he was ok, his nightmares were getting worse. She didn't even have to ask, he had the same haunted look in his eye that he'd had when he'd first told her about them, but there was nothing he could do about them. He fully believed there was nothing he could do. To attempt anything would be seen as him being selfish and a Jedi was to be anything but that.

Which was why she was there now, staring at the door, almost willing Master Yoda's lesson to come to an end soon…and gasping when the doors opened only moments later, Master Yoda standing beside them as he watched the Younglings trickle out and head to their next lesson in the Archives with the various record keepers there.

"Padawan," Yoda looked at her in greeting.

"Master Yoda," Amira bowed her head.

"Much turmoil from you, I sense," he observed her.

Amira bit her lip at that, she really had hoped that she'd been able to temper that more, so that she wouldn't have disturbed him, "Yes Master," she began, "There is…something I would like to discuss with you, if you have a moment?"

Yoda nodded, gesturing down the hall in the opposite direction the Younglings had gone, indicating her to walk beside him as he started down it, "A question, you have," he remarked easily, "Ask and answer, I shall."

Amira was silent a moment, trying to get her thoughts in order, "A Jedi is to be honorable," she began, "A Jedi is to honor all promises made or make amends for unfulfilling one. A Jedi is to remove distractions from their life, to best focus on their commitment to the Order. In that sense, a Jedi should strive not to develop attachments, such as why we are accepted as Younglings, before the attachments can grow. And a Jedi is not to cling to the past…"

"A question, that is not," Yoda smiled up at her encouragingly, reaching out to touch her hand as she wrung them before her in nerves, "Speak your mind, you shall."

Amira took a breath and looked at the small green alien that held such wisdom and sway in the Order, "I have grown to know Padawan Skywalker," she continued, being very careful with her words, "I understand that he was accepted as a Padawan at an older age and, as such, he had not been taught to prevent attachments of the sort from forming. He has expressed something that is of a large concern to me. Something I…I wish to be able to assist him in resolving so that he may better focus on his training and truly dedicate himself to the Order."

Yoda looked at her intently for a long while, his lips coming to a small purse, his brow furrowed and it was all Amira could do not to fidget under his searching gaze. He always made her feel like he could look through her whenever they spoke, as though he were seeing more than she ever outwardly expressed, it was unnerving.

"This concern," he murmured, "Troubling to you, it is."

"Very much so, Master," she nodded, "I…I believe that, should Padawan Skywalker be prevented from resolving this matter that…that it would jeopardize his path to becoming a Jedi Knight one day."

Yoda nodded slowly at it and gestured for her to explain.

Amira let out a soft breath at that, she wasn't being denied, but asked to continue, that had to be a good sign, "He has made a promise to someone," she spoke, "And has not been provided a chance to make amends for it. It is becoming a distraction to his training and causing his mind to focus on the past more and more each day. If he should wish to be a true Jedi, would it not be best for him to ensure he follows all their teachings? It is my hope that, should he be allowed to make the proper amends, that he would be…lighter of spirit, clearer of mind, and better able to dedicate himself more to his training and future as Jedi Knight of the Order."

Yoda considered this for a moment, "A mission of your own, you wish to take?"

She almost winced at that, Padawans were not to take on missions without their Masters, not without the express declaration of the Council or if their mission was part of one that their Master was seeing to, "If Padawan Skywalker had remained with his Master in the mission to protect Senator Amidala...if all events had gone the same, would not the Council have appointed HIM as the Senator's protector where they appointed my Master?" she tried to implement the 'diplomacy' Anakin kept remarking on about her, "There HAVE been Padawans to take on their own with the Council's approval. This would not be an official mission, more an exercise in resolution and an opportunity to make amends as our way would encourage."

Yoda actually seemed to be smiling at her response, "Explain your wish to me, you shall. Decide if necessary, I will."

Amira couldn't help but smile at that, that was all she needed, just the chance, just the hope that she could do something to help. And so she walked beside Master Yoda, telling him what she would like to do and hoping that he would find it an agreeable and necessary path to take.

~8~

Amira hesitated as she stood before in the communications room of the Temple, staring at the devices that would call up the two people she truly and desperately needed to speak to. She should contact them, she should, she should do it right now, because there wasn't time to waste. Not time for Anakin and not time before Master Yoda came to his senses and told her that he was revoking his permission to see her plan through.

Alright, she was being a bit unreasonable about Master Yoda, he was wise above all others and if he truly thought that her plan would be beneficial, if he agreed with it, then there was little chance he'd turn around and take it back. But…it was only one part of a plan. He had given his permission under the sole condition that her Master and Anakin's did the same.

She should contact them, right now. She had come right here after speaking to Master Yoda for just that purpose but something stilled her hand, quieted her voice. It was…a nervous feeling pooling in her stomach. She tried to push it away but she felt like it was consuming her. She couldn't stand still and she knew that speaking to Neeva and Obi-Wan would diminish that, would either end it with a good blessing or with a negative denial of her request. She should get it over with.

But she was nervous. If they said no…she didn't know what she'd do. Well, no that was unreasonable as well, she knew exactly what she'd do. Accept it. She'd force herself to, because the Masters knew best and if they thought this was a bad idea then it was, she trusted them. But the disappointment she'd feel? She couldn't help but think it would be crippling, perhaps even physically painful to come so far and have her efforts be stopped. And if she had to tell Anakin? Tell him how she'd failed? She didn't think she could bear that.

She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead with a hand, WHY was it so important to her? She really wanted to know that. She had known Anakin only a short while, compared to how long she knew other Padawans or knew her Master, it was relatively short. And yet here she was, going out of her way to try and help him, and she couldn't, for the life of her, work out why she was doing it. What she was planning…it was a large endeavor, and she knew, if it went well, it would be something enormously meaningful to Anakin and…the thought of helping him like that…it made her smile. The thought of the smile on his face if this went well, it made her feel warm and made her feel like it would be worth it, the responsibility of taking this on.

She just…she wanted to help him, she wanted to ease his burdens and help remove that haunted look from his eyes. She wanted to assuage his guilt and cast away his fears that he'd spoken to her of. She wanted to make him smile and lift his spirits…more so than she ever had with another. It was…worrying her, a niggling in her mind telling her that what she felt was…dangerous. She didn't know why it would be. Anakin was her friend, she was just trying to help, she was trying to be a good Jedi and help.

That fear and anger in him that flared up from time to time, if there was any way at all that she could help control it or even banish it, she would do it.

Anakin was important to the Council, they would not want him to fall to the Dark Side, Master Yoda's permission in this was evidence enough that the Master understood that this was needed, her plan for Anakin in this was needed for him to be able to let go of his past and let go of his fear and…let go of his attachments, to protect him in the future. The Council would want him without fear and anger and hatred, all the temptations of the Dark Side.

SHE wanted it as well, she didn't…the thought of Anakin falling to that despair, it…it made her feel like she couldn't breathe, just imagining all those negative emotions consuming him to the point where he stepped to that side of the Force, to know how badly he would have to be hurting for it to happen…she could feel tears prickling at her eyes just thinking of it. And to know that she had a chance to help him, to stop it, to prevent it even, and did nothing? She couldn't bear that, she couldn't bear just standing by and watching as Anakin was hurt and while his anger grew and not try to reach out and help, to offer him a shoulder and a listening ear and a hand to hold…not that Jedi held hands, they didn't, and she shouldn't offer him that, but…if it helped calm him and give him hope…

No, she shook her head, her thoughts moving to something she didn't want to think on. She opened her eyes reached out before she could stop herself, sending out a request to Neeva and Obi-Wan for communication and waiting.

A moment later Neeva's image flickered, a 3D hologram of her forming before her on and looking at her curiously, "Padawan? Is everything alright?"

"Yes Master," she nodded, "I…you requested that I speak to you and communicate any requests to you before doing anything. You know I would never do anything without your permission, Master."

"I do," Neeva agreed.

"I wish my Padawan expressed the same restraint," Obi-Wan's voice called as a 3D image of the man appeared beside Neeva's, projecting from two separate areas on the communications tech as the two Masters were in different locations but all three communicating together, "Padawan," he greeted Amira.

"Master Obi-Wan," she bowed her head to Anakin's Master, extending her respect to him as such in calling him 'Master.'

"I hope you will excuse me for my confusion on why you have contacted me as well as your Master," Obi-Wan began, before frowning, "Has Anakin done something?"

Amira smiled at that assumption, "No, Master," she shook her head, "Padawan Skywalker has been…rather well-behaved, for the most part," she added as an afterthought, still not entirely over him pushing her off the ledge on the upper-level of the Temple.

"Is he?" Obi-Wan seemed almost surprised by that, though he seemed to be trying to sound like he had expected Anakin to be well-behaved. The skeptical quality in his voice diminished that slightly.

"He has," Amira nodded, "You may speak with Master Yoda if you wish for more confirmation."

"I just might," Obi-Wan murmured.

"Amira," Neeva called her attention back, "Master Obi-Wan has a good query, why have you contacted the both of us?"

"I wished to request your permission for a…journey," she began, "One that I would wish to partake with Padawan Skywalker. Or," she winced at her word choice, "One that I should HAVE to take with him."

"What journey?"

"And why is Anakin so fundamental in it?" Obi-Wan added.

Amira bit her lip, "By the way of the Jedi, we are taken into the Order at a young age, to prevent attachments. Anak…Padawan Skywalker," she amended quickly, "Has expressed a growing concern for an attachment he formed in his past," she looked more at Obi-Wan for that, "Something in his nightmares…"

"His mother," Obi-Wan nodded, not allowing any secrets to be formed or kept from Neeva as she was now as much a part of this as her Padawan was, "He dreams of her still?"

"More and more frequently," Amira told him, concern evident in her voice, "I…wished to request that he and I depart for Tatooine. To reassure him that his mother is well, perhaps even to see if we might help her should her situation be as it was when Padawan Skywalker first left the planet. He has…admitted to me he pledged an oath to free his mother from slavery, and a Jedi must always…"

"Keep their promises," Neeva finished for her, "And make amends if they cannot," she smiled at Amira, "I have taught you well, Padawan."

"Everything I know, Master," Amira nodded, bowing her head respectfully.

Obi-Wan crossed his arms, the holographic version of his face seeming almost wistful, as best Amira could describe it, as though he wished his own Padawan had such respect for him. Amira knew that he did, he just…didn't show it well.

"You wish to take my Padawan to his home planet to see his mother again," Obi-Wan spoke after a moment, "Would that not be counterproductive? To reintroduce him to the same attachment he was forbidden to make?"

"I have spoken with Master Yoda about it as well," Amira added, "I wished to ensure that it would be agreeable to the Council and seek his advice if that would be just such the case. He has remarked that, perhaps, Padawan Skywalker requires a chance to properly say goodbye to her. He left when he was young, yes, but perhaps too young to truly understand what it would mean to join the Order. Now that he is older, he would be able to reassure himself she is well, perhaps find a way to ensure she shall remain so, and to bid her farewell one final, proper, time."

"It does make sense," Neeva agreed after a moment of thought, though Amira could tell she was speaking more to Obi-Wan than herself, "The boy has been forbidden to reach out to her when he joined the Order. And, from what you have told me of Tatooine, it is a…hard place to survive, even more so for a slave. Never being able to know what has become of his mother would linger in a boy's mind for many years and many more to come."

"Padawan Skywalker has expressed the same thoughts on his planet," Amira told them, "He holds no good memories of it, his life as a slave even less. He fears for his mother and…I would not wish to see his fear turn to anger or hatred."

Obi-Wan was silent at that, though he was nodding absently, "Your concern for my Padawan means much to me, to know he has a friend to help him while I cannot be there."

Amira blinked at that, swallowing hard at his words, her thoughts and feelings starting to collide inside her. Friend, she was a friend, she WAS a friend to Anakin and no friend she knew of would go to lengths such as this for another. To contact the Masters, to go to Master Yoda, to plan such a quest. She was a friend…yet she felt like her concern for Anakin went…farther than that. And that was bad, that was terribly, terribly bad if it did. She was his FRIEND, yet…she was doing something like this, she felt like she HAD to do this and when she thought about failing to do so, the weight of it, the crushing weight, it…it felt like more than she'd ever felt when she may have disappointed a friend in the past.

Friendship had to be careful between Jedi, a deep understanding and mutual trust and respect, that was usually as far as it went.

So why did she feel like the friendship she and Anakin had was more powerful right now?

"My Padawan is a loyal girl," Neeva told Obi-Wan, cutting through Amira's frightening thoughts, "She would not come to us if she was not truly concerned for his well-being. He has given indication to worry, hasn't he?" Neeva turned back to Amira.

She bit her lip, "Some," she offered, not wanting to say everything he'd disclosed to her or done around her, the anger and fear she'd felt radiating off him.

"I would give you my permission," Neeva offered then, "It is the true way of the Jedi to assist your fellow Jedi."

Amira swallowed hard at that, at the reminder of the Jedi way…

Obi-Wan sighed but nodded, understanding, "Jedi are not to form attachments," he murmured to himself, "Anakin needs closure," he looked at Amira, "You have my permission, young Padawan."

And nearly closed her eyes, nearly winced at the reminder of just WHY she was doing all this, and the contradiction her own actions were revealing in her mind.

"Thank you, Master," Amira forced her voice level as bowed her head in deference to Anakin's Master before the image cut off.

"Amira," Neeva's voice called, pulling her attention to the 3D version of her Master. She was tense, not sure how her Master would respond, but Neeva seemed to be smiling, "I am very proud of you, my Padawan."

"Thank you, Master," Amira repeated, more breathless this time, and not from the praise her Master had given her…but an overwhelming feeling that she did not deserve it.

"May the Force be with you and Anakin in your endeavor," she offered.

"And with you," Amira murmured, waiting till her Master had cut the connection as well before she turned and fell back against the wall beside her, taking a moment to just slide down it, letting out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. Her knees curled up, her arms lying uselessly beside her as she just stared at the floor.

For as much as it had been a success, a true success to get not just Master Yoda's permission, but that of her Master and Anakin's, for as much as it was planned out to be a simple trip, one to reassure him and give him a chance to say a true goodbye to his mother…

She felt like it was a failure.

No, not the plan, not her attempts to see it happen, no that HAD been a success.

SHE felt like a failure.

She closed her eyes and let her head thump back against the wall, opening them a moment later, tears in them as she shook her head slightly as the words Obi-Wan had said filtered through her mind.

'Jedi are not to form attachments.'

She let out a shaking breath and pulled her arms around her legs, letting her head drop onto her knees as the terrible truth slammed into her at his words. She hadn't thought it would happen, she'd thought her training had been more thorough, that there was no chance of anything like this happening. She hadn't prepared against it, hadn't tried to stop it, because it shouldn't have happened and she felt like such an abysmal failure that she hadn't even considered for the possibility. Jedi were not unmoved merely by their state of being and nature but through discipline and effort. She had made a terrible error in judgment, she had done just as Anakin often did and put too much stock in her own abilities. And it was coming back to haunt her in the worst way, it was punishment, it had to be, for her arrogance in thinking that she was above a danger that Jedi were often faced with, a danger most pushed away and yet she had not. She had invited it closer, allowed it too close.

'Jedi are not to form attachments,' Obi-Wan had said, and he was right.

And she was an utter failure because she realized now why it was such an important thing to her, why she was so driven and determined to see this plan happen, why it was consuming her thoughts so much and pushing her forward. It had only just hit her as she stood before two Masters and tried to beg their blessing for something she shouldn't even be involved with but had gotten into anyway. It went beyond all reason that she should be this determined, have so much a hand in this. It should not be something she was worrying about or trying to fix, and yet it was, and now she knew why.

Now she knew why it was so important to her that this trip to Tatooine happened…and it terrified her.

'Jedi are not to form attachments,' it was one of their core lessons, central beliefs…

And it pained her so much to realize…she'd broken it, even without realizing it was happening.

Because…SHE had formed an attachment.

To Anakin.

A/N: With how much it's been drilled into Amira since she was a Youngling to always respect and differ to her Master and never do anything serious without her consent, I couldn't see her just going 'let's steal a shuttle and go to Tatooine!' but instead consulting with all the proper authorities to get their permission to do it first, to show her respect for the Masters in her life and get their blessings first :) Poor Amira though, she's never felt attachment before, didn't even know how it could form due to her training…and it just snuck up on her, Anakin managed to worm his way under her skin. I wonder how that will play out now that she's aware…hmm… }:)

But, an a happier note, tomorrow we just might get 2 chapters ;)

Some notes on reviews...

Obi-Wan's reaction to Anakin and how he first realizes something's changed in his Padawan made me laugh to write :)

We may possibly see a kiss in this story...maybe }:)

Obi-Wan will notice something happening between Anakin and Amira, but not in the same sense as with Padmé, but he won't he the only one either }:)

Thanks! I'll be sure to check out the chronology if I do the Clone Wars :)

Amira's forgiven him, but she won't be forgetting any time soon :) Eventually she might move on to being able to make jokes about it though ;) I'm working on the trailing off and paragraphs, I think it's a result of another series that I wrote for Doctor Who. Originally, chapters were only about 3K words and people wanted more detail and insight to the minds of the characters, so for an entire year I built up on that and now I can't seem to turn it off lol :) But I'll work on it! ;) Oh I can say there'll be a very meaningful reason for how often and for how long Amira's been having her nightmares }:) I can't say who the antagonist is just yet, we'll have to wait and see ;)

I can say Amira will be on Tatooine with Anakin, but as for if she'll be there when he learns about his mother...well, we'll have to wait and see }:)

At this point, Shmi is still alive yup :) But if she'll survive is yet to be seen }:)


	7. Returning Home

Returning Home

"Are you going to tell me where we're going?" Anakin asked, having been sitting across from Amira their entire flight, staring her down, trying to will her to tell him what was happening, but Amira kept her gaze locked out the window as she flew the shuttle off.

It felt like, one moment he'd been waiting for her in the Room of a Thousand Fountains to start working on her meditation as it seemed to help the first time they meditated together…and it gave him a chance to hold her hand, feel her skin…which was NOT a reason for him to be so excited and anxious to see her again, it wasn't. The connection just gave him a better sense of how she was faring, allowed him to sense her stronger than normal. But then the next moment she had been telling him that they would be leaving the Temple very soon and to prepare to depart the next morning. She had been acting so oddly then, had told him quickly, barely looked at him, before hurrying away and disappearing, so much so that he couldn't find her when he tried to ask her what that was all about.

The next time he'd seen her had been getting onto the small shuttle that Master Yoda had provided. It was just a little thing, very simple to pilot, often used for the younger Padawans to train in. It could go off-world, could travel at light speed if needed, far too simple for him to be interested in really. He preferred the more complex forms of piloting, ones that offered a challenge. He'd been flying since before he could walk so to be in a shuttle as simple as this one was boring him…so he'd entertained himself by watching Amira pilot, even if it seemed to make her grow steadily more and more tense as they went. He had offered to pilot for her when he saw how stiff she'd been, assuming it was some sort of other skill she lacked from her training, but she'd reminded him that the shuttles like this were equipped with automated help, technology that would help her depart a planet and land and that, really, it was just a straight course from one planet to the other if you were careful, and she would be fine, just fine, why wouldn't she be fine?

Clearly she wasn't fine.

"No."

Anakin frowned slightly at that, she'd been giving him one word and curt answers to every question he'd asked since they left. It was…starting to worry him. No, not worry, more like…he didn't know the word but whatever the emotion was, he didn't like it. He didn't like how distant she had become.

"Did I do something to offend you?"

"What?" Amira finally looked at him, before sighing, seeing his truly hurt expression, making her mask crack at the pain in his eyes for how he thought _he'd_ done something, "No, Skywalker. It's just…thoughts weighing on my mind."

"My Master often says that to share a burden is to half it," he remarked, "You could always tell me what's bothering you, I can help you."

"I don't think you could," she offered apologetically, he really couldn't when he was the one that was causing the difficult thoughts in the first place.

"But…"

"We're nearly there," she cut in, looking back out the window.

Anakin frowned and turned, only to straighten in his seat, all thoughts of finding out what was bothering her fleeing his mind at the sight of the all too familiar planet looming before him, growing bigger as they neared it.

Tatooine.

She was taking him to Tatooine.

He genuinely had no idea what to think of that, what to feel, he was too in shock. Looking at the planet now all he could think of was the last time he'd been there, everything that had led up to his leaving, to his returning. He had just been a little slave boy, no one special, no one important, no one destined for greatness, he couldn't even pilot well enough to win pod-races! And then, out of nowhere, the Jedi appeared. Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan, Obi-Wan, along with a young girl he'd thought was just a servant, Padmé, until he'd learned she was really the elected Queen of Naboo. Looking back on it, perhaps if he'd known she was really the Queen he wouldn't have started to notice her beauty or form an attachment to her.

No, he was fairly sure he wouldn't have. He had been raised as a slave, constantly told he wasn't good enough, wasn't worth anything, that he could be easily sold at any time he was that unimportant. Had he known Padmé was a Queen, his 9 year old self would have immediately thought him not good enough for her, that she was so far above his station that it would be impossible and to not even dare to dream. But he'd met her as a handmaiden, as a servant, and he'd thought her like him. By the time he'd learned the truth, it was too late, he'd already grown fond of her. And all of that was before he'd even been accepted into the Order and told he wasn't supposed to do things like that because it caused conflict.

He could still remember the conflict he felt leaving the planet. Qui-Gon had wagered with Watto that he would win the next pod-race, despite never having even finished a race before, had wagered not just HIS freedom, but the ship they'd traveled in with the Queen whom they'd been guarding. He had won, thankfully, but it had meant leaving his mother, leaving his friends and his planet and his droids and pod and everything. His mother had told him to go, had been so happy he'd been given his freedom even if she hadn't had hers. And he'd left, left with the promise to come back and free her one day, promising himself he'd end slavery in the galaxy while he was at it.

But things got in the way. He hadn't even been able to train as he'd thought he would. It was all a jumbled mess after he'd left his home-planet. There were meetings with the Jedi Council, where they hadn't wanted him to join the Order, citing he was too old, that he'd formed too many strong attachments, that he was too afraid. There had been Qui-Gon defending him, offering Obi-Wan up for the Trials and wishing to take HIM on as a Padaway. Qui-Gon had died, been slain by a Sith, Darth Maul, whom Obi-Wan had dueled and defeated. There had been attacks and treaties, him accidently getting stuck on one of the starfighter ships and inadvertently being the one that had won a victory for Naboo by destroying a Federation droid control ship which deactivated the droids that had been attacking Naboo at the time.

And then he'd been whisked off to the Temple with Obi-Wan and his training had started, not allowing him even a moment to return to Tatooine…

Yet now here he was, the desolate planet looming ever near.

He was silent, realizing just how close they really were to the planet and knowing that Amira would need to focus to land. All his offers to help her do so forgotten as he doubted he'd be able to even move from his shock at what was happening. So he waited, patiently, more patiently than he thought himself capable of, till the ship had landed on the sands of his home-planet, the shuttle calming down, Amira shutting off all tech that was needed till silence fell around them.

"Amira…" he began, his voice not quite harsh, but not thrilled, "Explain."

Amira closed her eyes briefly at that, taking a breath before she turned in her seat to face them, "I spoke with your Master, with mine, and with Master Yoda for permission to return here with you."

"Why?" he clenched his jaw, confusion warring with gratefulness and displeasure all at once.

"You feared for your mother," she gave him the smallest of shrugs, "I just wanted to help."

"By taking me back here?"

"Yes."

"To…to see her?"

"Yes."

"So the nightmares would stop?"

"Yes."

Anakin fell silent at that.

"I couldn't think of anything else to do," she added after a moment, starting to shift in her seat for how quiet he was, unable to tell what he was thinking or feeling, his eyes were fixed out the window, at the small market they could see in the distance, "Your nightmares were plaguing you and my Master always said to conquer fear you must face it. There was no way for you to face this except to see your mother for yourself. I asked if I could bring you here, to see how she was, to reassure you. Maybe even to help her if she was struggling. And they agreed that it would help you to see her well for yourself. I didn't want to wait for our Masters to return. They have only been gone a fortnight and your nightmares had gotten so much worse, I could tell. I just…hated seeing you like that, Anakin, and I wanted to help," she bit her lip, looking at him, "…are you angry with me?"

Anakin let out a breath at that, shaking his head, before he turned to look at her, tears in his eyes that she knew he'd deny were there when this was over, "_Angry?_" he repeated, "Amira…" he could only shake his head again, "I…I don't…this is…"

"Speechless, Skywalker?" she gave him a small, tentative smile.

He nodded, "I can't even…" he looked at her intently, "You…"

"There's…one more thing," she added, wanting to get everything out there before he said anything else, wanting to make sure he knew all of this before he decided how grateful or thankful he might be, how angry he might grow to be at her next words, "This is the last time you will be allowed on Tatooine, Anakin," she told him, serious, feeling so terribly to have to tell him that as he frowned, "Master Yoda said that the Council can allow you this trip, to find closure, to say one final farewell to your mother, now that you're older and understand more about what joining the Order will mean. You were too young, when you left, to truly realize what it meant to leave her and live without your mother. Now you have, you understand, and your next goodbye…it will be the last one you can give her, but hopefully it will be healing for you both to be mature and wise enough to understand it on both sides."

Anakin fell silent once more, but slowly started to nod, "I understand."

"You _do_?" she seemed a bit skeptical at that, and she was well within reason to be given what she knew of him.

He took a deep breath, "The Jedi are not to form attachments that could cause them to stray from the Force," he repeated, not seeming to notice her flinch at that, "It was the reason the Council were hesitant to accept me when I was younger, because of my mother, because of my attachment to her. I have lived without her for 10 years now," he nodded to himself, as though coming to a decision, "I just…I need to know she's ok, that she'll BE ok, that she'll be safe, and…and I'm sure I could handle living many more years without seeing her again. I just," he ran a hand through his hair, "I left her in such a bad way, a slave," he nearly spat the word but caught himself at the last moment, "And my dreams…" he closed his eyes at that.

Amira frowned, seeing a wince that joined his last words, "Have they gotten worse?" she asked him gently.

He nodded, "I saw my mother last night," he admitted, "I saw her as clearly as I see you now. She was suffering and in pain, worse than before..." he swallowed hard, "If I could just know she was alright, that they were_ just_ dreams, then I'm sure I could live my life in peace and continue my training, knowing she was safe."

"You have that chance now," Amira told him, "But this will be the _only_ chance you'll get Skywalker," she pointed at him mock-warningly, "So…no doing what you always do."

He let out a little laugh at that, "On my honor as a Jedi," he put a hand over his heart, "I won't jeopardize this mission."

"Oh no, I'm not falling for that, Skywalker," she shook her head, more on par with his teasing tone, "You're not a Jedi yet."

He laughed more at how she'd caught him, "Fair enough."

She nodded once and glanced out the window, pushing herself to stand, "Shall we?"

He stood as well, though he made no move to head to the small latch that would open to the desert, just…staring at her.

"What?" she asked, frowning at his immobility.

Anakin didn't answer, not immediately, not verbally, merely stepped closer to her, looking her in the eyes as he drew nearer, till he was right before her. She opened her mouth, about to ask what he was doing, when he took the final step and leaned in, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tightly, making her go rigid in his arms.

"Thank you," he whispered, a small crack in his voice, "Thank you, Amira, so much."

"It's nothing," she tried to say, giving his back a small pat, feeling an odd stirring inside her at the feel of his arms around her, her mind shouting at her that this should not be happening, that she should stop it.

"It's _not nothing_," he pulled back sharply, frowning at her, "You are giving me the chance to see my mother again," he told her, shaking his head, not about to let her brush off the magnitude of what this meant to him, of what she was doing for him, "You are giving me the chance to say goodbye to her, a real goodbye. The chance to prove my dreams just dreams instead of…"

He cut himself off, but she knew what he wasn't saying, it was the same thing she feared about her nightmares as well. The fact they were so recurring, they couldn't help but fear that they might not be just nightmares but visions of the future to come that the Force was trying to warn them of. Neither would ever say it out loud, not wanting to even risk that being what was really happening. But she understood, he needed this, to know his dreams were just that and not a warning of something that had happened to his mother.

"I understand."

"I don't think you do," he shook his head, "This means…SO much to me, Amira, more than you could ever know," he smiled at her, before hugging her once more, "I have never had a friend do what you have for me, ever."

Amira let out a breath at that, unable to stop her arms moving around him more firmly this time, closing her eyes as she returned the hug just as tightly. Friend, he had said friend. That was what it was, it was friendship, ONLY friendship, that was all it could ever be. It…it might be an attachment, but couldn't it be one of friendship? Jedi were meant to have a bond with each other, a shared mission and loyalty to the Force, to aid each other and trust each other. Couldn't it just be that?

Perhaps it was a _strong friendship_ she had felt for him? It could be, why couldn't it be? Just because she had never felt something as intensely as she did for Anakin, it didn't mean it had to be something bad. It could just mean she had never connected on such a level with the other Padawans! It could mean that she understood Anakin as he did her, in a way others didn't. Attachment that could lead them to stray from the Force was bad, yes. So…wouldn't friendship with a JEDI be a way to keep on the path of the Force? Her Master, she was friends with Obi-Wan, had said it a few times, she had heard her call the man 'my friend' many times. Friendship couldn't be bad, it couldn't be as dangerous as other attachments, it couldn't be bad if her own Master felt it with others.

It just couldn't be.

Because she wouldn't allow an attachment that could ruin her or Anakin, she _wouldn't_ allow it.

She wouldn't risk him like that.

And if all they were was friends, then that was alright, to her that was ok, it meant she trusted him as she _should_ trust her fellow Jedi. And that was all.

That was all it could be and all it had to be, just…friendship.

~8~

Anakin tried, he truly did, to keep the smile off his face as he led Amira through the Mos Espa streets, even being back around the sights and shops and aliens that had haunted his childhood and stirred negative emotions in his memories could not pull the smile off his face.

Because Amira was literally clinging to his arm as they moved through the streets, staring at everything around her with wide eyes. There were some aliens there, other species that he doubted she'd encountered either in the Temple or in her travels with her Master. And this planet, he knew she'd never been to Tatooine before, and to be the one able to teach HER something for once, to be the one with all the answers and knowledge was entertaining. He did his best, as they walked, to point out some shops and items, little trinkets or food that she might not be familiar with. He knew she wasn't holding onto his arm for fear, though she did jump away from the larger creatures, no matter how docile they might have been. He would have teased her about it, claimed that she was afraid of the creatures, had it not meant that it would have come across as him listing another area she had to work on for the Trials. Jedi were not to fear but to overcome it, to control themselves and he knew she wasn't really frightened of them, they were just large creatures to take in. No, she was more trying to take it all in.

It was different, to be walking around a planet with another Padawan instead of your Master.

He paused as they reached one of the old shops that he remembered well from his childhood.

"Which is this one?" Amira eyed it, seeing the frown that came to Anakin's face for it.

"Watto," he mumbled.

Amira's face scrunched in thought a moment, stepping away from him just enough to release his arm, but keep her hand in it, "Your old owner?"

He nodded, his eyes honing in on Watto himself sitting in front of the shop. Amira followed his gaze to the creature. He was a blue for the most part, with a yellow stomach and mouth area. She couldn't make out the exact texture of is skin but he was vaguely like a cross between an insect and reptile if she had to describe it. He had what appeared to be a small trunk for a nose, wings like a dragonfly sticking out of his back, with clawed feet that were webbed. His fingers were thin and bony, quite contrary to his gut. He had a few teeth sticking out from under his nose and up from his jaw, a bet or two wrapped around him and, almost, what appeared to be stubble. Overall…Amira could see why Anakin had no fond memories of the creature, he didn't look very pleasant.

Anakin took a deep breath and headed for Watto as the creature fiddled with repairing a droid, a small electronic screwdriver in his hand, with three smaller droids seeming to be attempting to help him.

"No chuba da wanga!" Watto snapped at the droids, yelling instructions and pointing at various tools and parts of the main droid, "Da wanga!"

"Chut, chut, Watto," Anakin excused them, stepping up, Amira silent beside him, knowing that Anakin had to do this himself, confront his old slave owner himself, but she made sure he knew she was there for support, keeping right next to him, just out the corner of his eye.

"Ke booda!?" Watto spun to face them, not seeming sure who they were and very irritated they were interrupting his work.

Anakin's eyes narrowed at that, reminding Watto he HAD tried to politely interrupt just moments ago, "Di nova, 'Chut, chut!'"

Watto rolled his eyes and turned back to the three small droids, "Go ana bopa!" he waved at them, the three droids snapping into a compressed position and shutting off.

Anakin glanced at Amira a moment, before stepping closer to Watto, "Ding mi chasa hopa," he offered, taking the screwdriver from Watto, offering to help and quickly getting to work on the main droid.

Amira watched Watto closely, seeing the confusion and surprise in his eyes, "Ke booda?" he asked, eyeing what Anakin was doing, unsure of it, "Yo baan pe hota," he added, suspicious, not knowing who they were, not recognizing Anakin, before he sighed and got to business, "No wega mi condorta," he offered hesitantly, wondering what business they wanted from him, frowning when he saw the lightsaber attached to Anakin's utility belt when he turned to get further behind the droid, "Kin chasa du Jedi," he remarked, noting their attire, that they appeared to be Jedi or close, "No bata tu tu."

Amira snorted at that, she was quite sure whatever he thought they were there and whatever he was denying he'd done, he DID in fact do, he was too nervous to not be guilty.

Anakin just mumbled, "Mi boska di Shmi Skywalker," he informed Watto, all he wanted was to know where Shmi was.

Watto looked back and forth between Anakin and Amira a moment, before focusing on Anakin, squinting at him. If Amira had to describe it she might have thought Watto was intoxicated and trying to see straight.

"Ani?" Watto mumbled, "Little Ani? Nah!" but Anakin proved he was exactly who Watto thought he was when the droid he'd been working on began to whir with power only moments later, repaired, just as it had been Anakin's job to do when he'd lived there, "You are Ani!" Watto spoke, seeming to wish to continue in English instead of Huttese "It _is_ you! Ya sure sprouted! Weehoo! A Jedi! Waddya know? Hey, maybe you couldda help with some deadbeats who owe me a lot of money..."

"That is not our purpose here," Amira cut in, not about to let this…cretin take advantage of Anakin. She wouldn't put it past him to try and weedle some sort of service out of Anakin before revealing information about Shmi. She wasn't about to lie and make it seem like they were both full Jedi there on a mission, but reminding Watto that Anakin wasn't alone might help loosen his lips more.

"My _mother_," Anakin nodded, giving Watto a firm look.

"Oh, yeah," Watto rolled his eyes, "Shmi...she's not mine no more. I sold her."

Amira did her best not to react to that, to practice her breathing, to keep her face profession as her Master had taught her. But it was disgusting, that a human being, that any living and sentient being, could be just…sold, like it was no consequence, like it was just trading one object for another. It made her heart constrict painfully in her chest as well, because that could have been Anakin. Had he not been freed when he had, Anakin could have easily been sold and to someone far worse than Watto.

"Sold her?" Anakin frowned, though, to his credit, he managed to keep his voice neutral.

"Years ago," Watto waved it off, "Sorry, Ani," he added, not sounding sorry at all, "But you know, business is business. Sold her to a moisture farmer named Lars. Least I think it was Lars. Believe it or not, I heard he freed her and married her. Can ya beat that?"

Anakin blinked at that, not sure if he was more startled that the person who had bought his mother had been a decent man and freed her, or that his mother had chosen to marry him. He knew his mother, she would never be forced into anything if she were free. He had seen it in her eyes growing up, the things she did and forced herself to do only because she was a slave and had no choice.

"Do you know where they are?" Amira inquired, seeing Anakin too stunned to speak.

"Long way from here," Watto shrugged, "Someplace over on the other side of Mos Eisley, I think."

"I'd like to know," Anakin shook himself from his shock.

"We _both_ would," Amira agreed, seeing Watto almost seemed like he was about to refuse.

"Yeah..." Watto spoke slowly, glancing between them, seeing the very serious and grim expression on both their faces, "Sure...absolutely. Let's go look in my records," he turned and headed into the shop to get them, leaving Anakin and Amira outside.

Amira looked at Anakin, the boy staring at the doorway as though unsure if he wanted to follow Watto, "He can bring them out to us," she offered, "You don't have to go in there, Skywalker. He's not your owner anymore. You don't have to do a single thing he says if you don't want to."

Anakin nodded, taking a deep breath and releasing it, being back there, face to face with Watto, it brought up bad memories, made him feel like that little 9 year old boy that used to be shoved and ordered around, "You're right."

"I often am," Amira shrugged.

Anakin shot her an amused look, "Pride is against the Jedi way."

"It's not prideful," she argued, "It's a fact."

"Hardly."

"You'll agree one day," she said simply.

He rolled his eyes at that and looked through the doorway, making sure Watto was in fact checking his records which he actually appeared to be doing. He glanced over at Amira a moment later, "Are we…allowed to do this?"

"To do what?"

"This," he gestured at Watto.

"We had our Masters', and Master Yoda's, permission to be here."

"No I meant…" he sighed, "Weren't the parameters that we were to come here and…and help my mom? If she's free, does that mean that we're finished here?"

"No," she smiled, "We're supposed to make sure she's well, that means we have to see her. And we're meant to allow you the chance to give her a proper goodbye, which means you also have to see her. So, until we do, we're not done here."

"Good," he nodded, turning back to the doorway…until Amira started to laugh under her breath, "What?" he glanced at her.

"It's nothing," she shook her head, "It's just…did you really just worry yourself about the parameters of this?" she gave him an amused look, "I'd have thought you would just demand we go see her no matter if the parameters allowed for it or not."

It wouldn't have been the first time he overstepped the parameters of a mission before, after all.

"I wouldn't have demanded that," he defended, "I might have snuck out to find her myself…" he added, a teasing quality to his voice at the end, telling her he actually wouldn't have done that.

"Well, look at you, Skywalker," she eyed him a moment, "Listening to the rules for once."

"Listening to YOU," he countered with a shake of his head, "I…I owe you for this Amira, for this journey, for going to our Masters and Master Yoda for their permission, allowing me this chance to see my mother again even…even if it might be for the last time. You're putting your trust in me that I can handle this and I already promised you once that I won't take advantage of your trust again. And a Jedi always upholds their promise," he nudged her a bit, seeing her slightly stunned silence, "That's why we're here, isn't it?"

She nodded slowly, "Yeah," she swallowed, a bit breathless to hear him say something like that.

She almost wished she had waited for their Masters to return, that they might have joined them on this journey, the look on Obi-Wan's face to hear Anakin speak of listening to the rules and following the parameters would have been priceless.

~8~

Amira slowed to a stop when Anakin did, the boy just staring ahead at the desert, the two of them having walked a short way from where they'd landed the small shuttle. He was staring at what appeared to be a small, simple domed structure of an off white or light tan color, almost looking as though it were half-sunk in the sand around it, hopefully the correct place that Watto had given them directions to.

"Is this a…moisture farm?" Amira glanced at him, unfamiliar with the phrase or occupation, though she could wager a guess what a moisture farmer did, but she wasn't sure if the building before them was a moisture farm or not, she didn't know this planet or how it was set up, what was normal or different or what the different huts and shapes of the buildings meant, if they meant anything.

"Yes," Anakin swallowed hard, just staring at it.

It was the moisture farm of Cliegg Lars, the man who had bought his mother. He tried to remember that the man had also freed her as well, he really did, but he couldn't help the way his stomach churned to think of his _mother_ just being sold off like an animal or some piece of space junk that held no value. He couldn't help the flash of anger that rushed through him to think that it hadn't been HIM that had done it. No, not anger, disappointment. HE had promised his mother he'd save her one day, and he'd been too late.

He looked over when he felt a hand on his upper arm to see Amira had touched it, "She is FREE Anakin," she reminded him, "That's all that should matter. Not who did it, merely that she IS."

He would have asked her how she knew what thoughts had raced through him, but he didn't. He had expressed to her his guilt over not having returned to free her as promised, it wouldn't take someone that knew him as well as his Master did to work that out.

A small part of his mind whispered that, in such a short time, he felt like Amira knew him even more than his Master did, like she understood him more, his thoughts and feelings, his mind…

He shook the thoughts from him and took a deep breath, looking back at the small farm, "What if she's angry with me?" he asked, "For not keeping my promise."

"The woman you told me of, she would have been angry if you returned to keep it," she countered, "It seems like she sent you away to give you a better life Skywalker, she wouldn't have wanted you to return to this one, not even for her," she glanced at him, seeing he still seemed reluctant to take a step towards the farm, his anguish over his feelings of having failed his mother too clear in his eyes, "Despite it all, I think she will be very proud of you and the man you're becoming…and she will wish to hug you," she nudged him, "That IS what mothers do right? Hug?"

He gave a soft chuckle at that, having to remind himself that Amira really had no idea what mothers truly did, having no memory of one, "Yeah, they do."

"Then you are depriving her of that right now," she remarked matter-of-factly, "And she would be more angry with you for that so you had better start moving towards that farm…"

"I will," he did laugh this time, starting to smile, "I'm going, I'm going, see?" he started to walk towards it.

"Good," she moved to fall into step beside him, "Because I wasn't above kicking you to make you go."

"I know you're not," he muttered, knowing she really would have kicked him to start him off. It was…funny, she was funny like that. So many times she expressed wisdom to him, made him consider new things, forced him to think of something from another perspective…and then there were other times where she would act like just…a normal girl and tease him or taunt him or joke with him. She confused him, but he found himself enjoying it whenever it happened…after the irritation wore off.

The closer they got to the small farm the faster he found himself starting to walk, thoughts of finally being able to see his mother rushing through his mind. He knew that he shouldn't be this excited, he knew that he should implement the training techniques and push the emotion down, and he knew very well that he would have to leave her soon, that this was a trip to say goodbye to her for good…but he was going to see her, he was going to see her alive and well and safe and that was all he really needed.

He just needed to know she was ok.

"Is that C-3PO?" Amira whispered to him as they came close enough to see a human-shaped robot made of a mess of wires with bright glowing eyes working in the front of the farm, its movements stiff and jerky as he went about.

"Yeah," Anakin nodded, smiling at how she'd remembered that. He'd told her about the service droid he'd been building to help his mother on the way there. He'd done that as well, when he'd first started training, to other Padawans, told them about the droids and how he liked mending and building them, none had seemed very interested in such a thing. He'd almost expected her to not have been paying attention but he realized that would be foolish to do, Amira seemed to listen to him more than most.

"Oh!" the droid in question turned to them, what would have been his spine had he had one snapping straight when he caught sight of them approaching, "Hello. How might I be of service? I am C-..."

"3PO?" Anakin finished for it, a wide grin on his face that made Amira smile to see.

C-3PO shifted to face Anakin more, his hands flying to where his mouth would have been, "Oh, my...oh, my maker! Master Anakin! I knew you would return, I knew you would! And this is…" he twisted his entire body towards Amira.

"Amira-Tal," Amira introduced, "I've heard quite a lot about you."

"Oh my!" C-3PO gasped, not seeming able to decide which brought him more happiness, that his maker had returned or that he hadn't been forgotten by the boy, "Oh, my circuits! I'm so pleased to see you!"

"I've come to see my mother," Anakin began, as pleased as he was to see C-3PO as well, his mother had been on his mind for much longer.

The silence that followed, even just for the brief moment it held, was enough to make the two Padawans frown, the robot was hesitating and for a droid to do such a thing, one as clever and aware as C-3PO…it couldn't be good.

"I think..." C-3PO began, "I think...perhaps we'd better go indoors," he gestured them to follow him, turning to shuffle to the door of the farm, pushing it open and leading them down the stairs within, down and down and down into what appeared to be a crater carved out into the desert with two very large metal objects stationed in the middle of it, stairs and doors and archways all around the crater that appeared to lead to different areas of the farm.

"That is…" she pointed towards the two metal structures, eyeing them with curiosity.

"Vaporators," Anakin murmured in answer, "They gather leftover humidity in the atmosphere and condense it to…"

"Moisture?" she gave him a bit of a smile, it made sense on a planet such as that one.

He laughed, "Yeah," he nodded, looking over at C-3PO as the droid shuffled on, starting to shout out.

"Master Cliegg! Master Lars! Might I present two important visitors?"

To the right of them a young man and woman stepped out from a side door, eyeing the two noticeable strangers in equal curiosity as Amira had eyed the vaporators. It was clear from their garb they were Jedi, if their Padawan braids hadn't given them away, the lightsabers strapped to their utility belts would have. It was probably uncommon to see them there, less so two Padawans without their Masters.

So Anakin wasted no time in explaining, "I'm Anakin Skywalker."

The man's eyes widened at the name, clearly recognizing it, before he hurried over, extending a hand to Anakin to shake, "Owen Lars," he introduced, a hint of a smile peeking out from them under the man's light stubble, "This is my girlfriend, Beru," he gestured to the woman to join him.

"Hello," she smiled at them, making her way to Owen's side. She was a tanned woman, about Amira's height, with blond hair that was a shade or two darker than Amira's was. They couldn't see how long it might be though, her hair held back in tight twists at the back of her head.

Both Owen and Beru were wearing clothing that Amira supposed was typical for the planet. It appeared common to wear a dark or light shirt with a tan colored almost-robe over it, the men seeming to wear a light vest as well under their robes.

"And this is my…" Anakin began, hesitating a moment as though he couldn't believe he'd just said 'my' anything, clearing his throat quickly, "My fellow Padawan, Amira-Tal," he covered in haste.

"Your father is Cliegg Lars?" Amira inquired as she shook Beru and Owen's hands, not wanting to assume as the man could easily be his nephew or even a brother depending what the birthing customs of Tatooine were.

"Yeah," Owen nodded, glancing at Anakin, looking almost solemn, "I guess I'm your stepbrother," he added to the boy, "I had a feeling you might show up some day."

"Is my mother here?" Anakin asked, trying not to look around, trying to hold eye contact with their hosts as was only polite.

"No," a voice said from the other side of the small courtyard-crater, "She's not."

They looked over to see an older man limp over to them, pale, panting, leaning heavily on a staff of some sort. It was only when he tried to take another step that they realized he wasn't limping, his right leg, from the knee down was missing. Not just missing, recently too. His stump of a knee was wrapped tightly in white bandages that were already pink with the blood leaking through it, the man not even having a chance to heal from whatever had happened to him. His other leg, while hole, was equally bandaged, and soaked in the pink as well. It explained his paleness, the man had only just survived the injuries it appeared.

"Father!" Owen hurried to his father's side, taking his father's right arm to help support him, Beru rushing to his other side to help him, "You're supposed to use the hover-chair," he reminded the man, sounding very much like it was both a new argument and a very old one chastisement as well.

"What happened?" Amira frowned at the man, watching as Owen and Beru helped him hobble across the courtyard to them.

The man ignored her, looking at Anakin, his eyes sad, red from tears, sweat on his brow caking his hair to his forehead, his grip tight on Owen and Beru though he didn't allow them to move him from Anakin's line of sight as he stood before the boy, "I am Cliegg Lars," he said, his voice weak, his breath panting, as though it were taking him extreme effort just to stand before him, which they could both tell it was, but he wouldn't be moved, "Shmi is my wife..." his leg gave out just then, Beru struggling to hold up that side of him.

Anakin leapt into action, managing to help catch the man before he crumbled, throwing his arm around his shoulder and taking Beru's spot as Amira tugged the woman away to give him room.

"He needs to sit down," Amira looked at Owen.

The man nodded, "The table," he jerked his head towards Anakin, who looked over his shoulder to see a sort of dining area through an archway, to a domed room that had a large dark table set up in the middle with two chairs on either side and one at the end.

The two men turned and helped Lars move over towards the area, Amira hurrying ahead to pull out the chair at the end for the men to deposit Lars into. Beru rushed off and came back moments later with a small glass of blue liquid, Bantha milk, quickly handing it to Lars to drink.

"I'm sorry," Lars panted as he finished drinking the milk, looking at Anakin, seeming so tired and drawn that Amira stepped beside the boy, the man's tone was nothing if not regretful and full of guilt and sorrow, whatever he was about to say couldn't be good at all, "It was just before dawn," he continued, tears filling his eyes even more, "They came out of nowhere. A hunting party of Tusken Raiders."

Amira looked at Anakin as he tensed at that, not making a sound, not asking about what it meant or why his expression had hardened. She had…researched Tatooine, briefly, read up on it after she had discussed with Anakin about home-worlds, how all she knew of her own was from the Archives. She had been curious for how he described his planet and looked up more about it, Tusken Raiders…she knew of them and what she knew did not bode well for Shmi.

"Your mother had gone out early," Lars continued, pulling Amira's attention back to the situation at hand, "Like she always did, to pick mushrooms that grow on the vaporators. From the tracks, she was about halfway home when they took her," Lars' voice broke, "Those Tuskens walk like men, but they're vicious, mindless monsters. We spent _days_ searching for her, trying to find them and where they could have taken, trying to gather support and men to aid us. And when we did find their camp..." he swallowed hard, "30 of us went out after her," he shook his head, closing his eyes, looking like the epitome of a man that had seen hell, seen the monsters that children were frightened of at night, "4 of us came back…and not all of us whole," he looked down at his leg.

Amira let out a breath at that, staring at the red-stained lump, this attack, this rescue attempt…it had to have been within the last day or so. The man's appearance, his agitation, his wound, all of it was too fresh to have been longer or older. The man had clearly suffered a terrible trauma, he was suffering even now, the way his voice shook and his words broke, he was reliving the nightmare each time he said it.

"This isn't the way I wanted to meet you, son," Lars tried to look at Anakin, but he seemed too shamed to do so, staring at Anakin's feet even as Owen moved to put a hand on his shoulder, "This isn't how your mother and I planned it," he closed his eyes tight, shaking his head, trying to deny this was actually happening, "I don't want to give up on her…but the Raiders are monsters…"

Amira reached out and took Anakin's hand as it seemed to fully hit him with Lars' words, his mother had been abducted by the Tusken Raiders.

"She's been gone weeks," Lars swallowed, looking up at them, "There's little hope she's lasted this long…"

Amira felt the breath leave her as Anakin squeezed her hand back at the statement that his mother might very well be dead, and closed her eyes tightly in guilt, this was NOT what she had hoped would come from this trip, not at all.

And now…she was scared, no, she was_ terrified_, she truly feared what would happen next.

A/N: Poor Anakin :'( I can say there's a bit more to Anakin and his thoughts and what he said to Amira on the shuttle last, more than either of them realized at the time. Poor Amira too though, I think she might be in a bit of denial. In a way, she doesn't want to give up Anakin, but at the same time knows she can't keep whatever attachment is between them growing, so she's trying to downplay it as friendship, doesn't want to admit that she's fallen into the temptation of the attachment at all :( Now, just to explain a bit of timing/timeline that was mentioned in this chapter because it deviates from the movie:

From what I was able to determine through the movie and internet searches of timelines/dates that others had made about the events of this movie, according to the timelines, about the same time that Anakin and Padmé arrived on Naboo in the movie, was the same time that Shmi was captured by the Tuskens, which implies they were on Naboo for about a month by the time Anakin reaches Tatooine in the movie.

In this story, as Anakin was at the Temple instead and focusing more on his training than he likely would have been able to on Naboo while guarding Padmé and a little distracted by her, his nightmares have gotten stronger at the Temple with all the extra focus on improving his skills and training and, with Amira there and aware of how they're affecting him, suffering her own nightmares and wanting to help, it gave them the freedom to go to Tatooine sooner than they did in the movie. Which is also why Lars is recently injured instead of more healed like he was in the movie, here the search party only JUST happened :(

That is NOT to say that Shmi is out of the woods or safe at all. Events are changing, but that doesn't mean it'll always be for the better. There is always a possibility things could go much MUCH worse than in the movie. What will happen next though...we'll have to wait and see }:)

Some notes on reviews...

I'm sorry your week hasn't been the best :( But I'm glad the updates have been able to cheer you up a little :) I pronounce Amira's name as Ah-Mere-Ah and then Tahl :) (also her Master's name as Nee-vah ;))

Amira definitely adopts a more formal speech pattern when she's speaking to her 'superiors' like her Master or other Jedi and Piper is very old-fashioned/formal in how she speaks too :) I try to make Amira's more noticeable when she's with Anakin or another Padawan and when she's talking to her Master, one lighter and one more formal so I'm really glad that it was noticeable in the last chapter :)

Oh boy, if you think the cliffhangers for this story are bad you should have seen some of the threats I got for a particular Doctor Who series and the cliffhangers from that }:)

Lol, not trolling exactly ;) I'm really glad that you're enjoying the stories so far! ^-^

Ooh Palpatine, just thinking of what I have planned for him and Amira and Anakin makes me grin evilly }:)

Oh the Obi-Wan-Anakin relationship will get much better, especially when they reunite in this story, Obi-Wan's reaction made me laugh :)

No worries, not annoying ;) Since most of the story is based on the movies, I can only really take how they portray the relationship and what I interpret from how the scenes go, expanding more on that if I do the Clone Wars versions too. I can say that they'll definitely be patching up the little holes that formed, the time apart will do them a lot of good :) We'll find out very soon what'll happen with the Tuskens, very very soon }:)

There probably won't be much by way of the parallels, mostly because, to me (or to my version of Anakin) he _chose_ to join the Jedi Order, understanding everything that would be expected of him, which was different than him being _forced_ to be a slave :( I imagine that, if he tried to run away while a slave he'd be punished or perhaps even killed. He can leave the Order any time he wants, the consequences would be harsh in terms of his training and future as a true Jedi but he doesn't HAVE to stay, he's choosing to because he wants to be a Jedi :) Or at least that's how I interpreted it :) I can say there'll be a very brief moment where someone suggests that the Jedi Order is like a higher form of slavery to him, in the next story, but I can't say what'll happen after it ;)


	8. Staring Down the Dark

Staring Down the Dark

Amira chanced a glance at Anakin's face and quickly took his hand as he heard the words that his mother might be dead.

She didn't need to know him well at all, she didn't need to understand all she did about him, about his nightmares, not even about who he was as a person to know what he was thinking or feeling. She doubted anyone needed to know more than the fact that this was a boy whose mother had been abducted and was in mortal peril to know what he was going to do next.

And any son would want to save her.

So when Anakin turned to stride out of the small room and towards the courtyard, towards the stairs that would lead back to the desert plains, Amira was not at all surprised.

"Where are you going?" Owen called.

"To find my mother!" Anakin shouted back, not even stopping.

"Your mother's dead, son," Lars murmured, his voice thick with pain and loss, "Accept it."

But Anakin would not be diverted, only paused to look back at the man, an expression that made Amira's blood run cold on his face, "I can feel her pain, and I _will_ find her."

"Take my speeder bike," Owen offered, his hand on his father's shoulder so tightly that his knuckles were white. It was all too clear that he had felt the exact same Anakin had when his father had gone out with the others after Shmi, he likely hadn't been allowed to go with them.

Anakin gave him a brief nod and turned to stalk away, Amira hurrying after him.

"Anakin," she called, just reaching him as he made it outside the farm, back on the main level of the planet's surface.

Anakin spun around to face her, "I know she's alive," he told her.

"I don't doubt it," she agreed, not disputing his statement, "And that's why I'm coming with you."

"No," he shook his head, "You need to stay here."

"May the Force strike me down if I do," she snapped, "I am not…"

"You don't know the Tuskens," he cut in, his expression hardening, but a flash of emotion flew through his eyes too quickly for her to grasp what it was, "They are animals, they will show no mercy! You heard them, just before, 30 men went out and only 4 returned."

"And how many of them were Jedi?" she glared at him, "How many of them have our skill?"

"You are NOT coming!"

"Yes, I am!"

"No, you're not!"

"You are NOT my Master, Anakin Skywalker!" she reached out and shoved his chest, almost making him stumble back, "You don't get to order me about as though you were. I _am_ going!"

"You can't!"

"Why not!?"

"Because I can't lose you!" he shouted, making her fall silent, making himself fall silent as well as the words slipped out of him, "You are…" he swallowed, not sure how to express what he felt, because he genuinely didn't know, what he felt for her was familiar, but also so wholly different than anything he'd felt before, "I would not risk your life in this."

"It is MY life to risk," she countered, "I brought you here so that WE could ensure your mother was safe. She isn't. So it falls to the BOTH of us to change that."

"Amira…" he let out a breath, running a hand through his hair, his mind racing, trying to think of what to say to express his…fear.

He was afraid, for her. His mother, the strongest woman he knew, had been taken by the Tuskens, had been hurt, he knew that now. His dreams hadn't been dreams, but visions. He had ignored them and now his mother was suffering for it. If he'd gone to Tatooine after the very first, he could have saved her, done something to keep her protected. He hadn't, and now she was in danger. Amira was strong, yes, as strong as his mother was, but she was still learning, her Padawan braid was all the evidence of that, she was young, just a year younger than he was, and he couldn't help the sinking feeling in his gut that if something happened to her as well…

If the Tuskens could get his mother, they could get her too, they could hurt her as well. And just the thought of it, of them lying one single disgusting hand on her…it made something inside him rage.

"Your mother is alive," Amira continued, not budging, "But if Lars is any indication, she won't be in the best condition. You're going to need someone's help to move her..."

"I can carry her," he narrowed his eyes, mistaking her words for a slight against his strength.

"I _know_ that," she huffed, "I meant you'll need help. If you're carrying her off, who will be watching your back and guarding it if the Tuskens see you?"

He closed his mouth at that, he…hadn't considered that far ahead.

She nodded, as though she'd just won the argument, "I can beat YOU at a saber duel, Skywalker," she reminded him, "It is the _one_ area I am actually good in. It is the one way that I can help you in this," she reached out and touched his arm, "Please, LET me."

Anakin's eyes, which had drifted down to her hand on his arm, snapped back to her eyes, searching them but seeing nothing but steely determination and a desire to truly help. He let out a breath and nodded, she was right. He wouldn't admit it out loud, not like she'd teased him just a short while ago, but she was. He needed to get to his mother and quickly, he needed to get her away from the Tuskens, and if he was focusing on that, he couldn't be able to guard himself or her.

"Ok."

~8~

Amira held tight to Anakin's middle as she sat behind him on Owen's speeder bike as it hovered above the desert floor, the two of them racing across the plains, the Force guiding Anakin as he headed for the Tusken camp. The twin suns had only just started to set when they passed a small campfire that, it appeared, the Tuskens had already been past…if the bodies of three dead farmers were any indication. They barely paused to examine the site as they raced on, faster now, the suns setting completely and a moon rising by the time they reached a high ledge that had Anakin slow the bike to a halt. She got off silently, without a word from Anakin to do so, understanding that, right now, silence was going to be essential.

They moved to the ledge and peered down, Amira quickly grabbing his hand when they saw Tuskens walking around the small oasis the camp was based around. There were…quite a few of them, all dressed in dark clothings of brown, their faces covered by a leather mast that had wide eyes and sharp teeth, small spikes sticking out the top of it. Amira squinted into the darkness, following Anakin's gaze to a single hut off to the edge where two Tuskens were standing guard, both of them knowing that, of any place in the camp, that would be the best place to start looking for Shmi. The Tuskens would not guard it if there was nothing worth taking there and, given that Lars and his men had come for Shmi once, it would make sense they'd fear more would come again.

Anakin leaned over the ledge more, peering down and over to the camp, before he stood, holding a hand to Amira to help her up, but not letting go of it, "Do you trust me?" he asked her, looking at her intently.

She took a breath at that, not sure what he meant. She…trusted him in some areas, but she was still hesitant about it in others. But he'd proven himself, a few times over, since he'd pushed her off the ledge of the Temple and he truly seemed very determined to never make her question her trust in him again, to never abuse it or take advantage of it, to earn it again. So…she took a leap of faith.

"Yes," she answered, hoping that she would not be wrong to do so again.

Anakin nodded and stepped closer, winding his arms around her, "I'm going to jump," he warned her, holding her tight to him, "I'm going to Force Jump us down there, we need to be quick and…"

"I understand," she cut in, swallowing but moving her arms around his as well for more stability and security, "Thank you for warning me first."

He nodded against the top of her head and turned them, carefully jumping off the edge of the cliff, using the Force to slow their descent, allowing them to land with only a slight wobble at the base of it.

"When we get back," Amira murmured, the two of them turning to look at the camp, quietly creeping towards it, "I really do need to learn how to do that. I can't expect you to be there every time I have to jump off something."

"You can," he remarked absently, leading her towards the darkest edges of the camp, "Because I'll always be there to catch you so I might as well jump with you."

Amira almost stumbled at his words, giving him a frown for them, but he didn't even seem to realize he'd said them, so she shook her head, biting her lip to keep silent. They were too close to the huts now to risk any more talk.

They were stealthy, using all the training they had to creep through the camp, using the shadows and the huts to hide their presence from the Tuskens, catching bits and pieces of conversation as they went, pressing themselves to walls, till they came to the hut with the guards. Amira grabbed Anakin's sleeve so he'd look at her and pointed to the side of the hut. He nodded and the two began to move behind it, to the opposite side of where the guards were. Amira looked around quickly and pulled out her lightsaber, turning to quickly cut a hole in the wall of the hut, easy to do as it was a cloth or skin of some sort, allowing Anakin to duck inside with her just behind.

The inside of the hut was filled with candles providing light, just a sliver of moonlight adding to it from a hole in the roof and Amira almost wished there had been no light at all, for it perfectly illuminated the only other figure in the hut.

Shmi.

Shmi Skywalker, strung up from a wooden frame in the middle of the hut, looking very much like a torture rack of some sort, the woman half dangling from it, her head hanging down, her hair curtaining her face from them. But they could see she was badly injured just from the state of her arms and legs and torso, all of it covered in bruises and angry gashes, pale and dirty in the moonlight. Amira hurried over to her in time with Anakin, cutting the ropes that bound her arms above her and stretched out, allowing Anakin to catch her as she fell out of the restraints. She deactivated her saber so the guards wouldn't hear the extra buzzing noise it faintly gave off, and moved to the other side of Shmi as Anakin gently lowered her to the ground.

If they had thought the woman injured badly based on her body, her face would have made them think infinitely worse. It was swollen and bruised, a bloodied mess that could only come from being terribly beaten. Her eyes were so puffy, both from tears and her injuries that it scarcely looked as though she could open them.

"Mom?" Anakin tried to quietly wake her, "Mom?"

Amira reached out and pressed a finger to the woman's neck, "She's alive," she reassured him, hearing his voice crack.

"Mom, wake up," he pleaded.

Shmi's eyes began to flutter, the woman seeming to be struggling to open them but managed it at the sound of her son's voice, "Ani?" she wheezed, her voice so utterly weak it brought tears to Amira's eyes, "Is it you?"

"I'm here, Mom," Anakin nodded, tears in his voice as it grew thick, "You're safe. Hang on. I'm going to get you out of here..."

"Ani…" Shmi tried to smile, but her face was too bruised to manage it, "My son…I'm so proud…" she started to slur her words, "Missed you…"

"Shh," Amira reached out to gently touch the woman's forehead, avoiding as much bruising as she could, "Please, save your strength," she murmured, looking up at Anakin when Shmi gave a weak nod and allowed her eyes to fall closed again, stilling in his arms, "Skywalker…"

But Anakin wasn't looking at her. The moment she had started to speak to his mother, his gaze had shot up to her…and then gone past her, towards the entrance.

"Anakin, no," Amira shook her head, not even needing to turn to know he was looking at the door that had the Tuskens just on the other side.

Anakin ignored her, gently placing his mother down on the ground, pulling his robe off to place around her for warmth and to cover her injuries, before he stood, taking a purposeful step towards the door.

Amira jump to her feet and put herself in his path, "Don't!" she hissed at him, keeping her voice as quiet as she could so that they wouldn't be heard.

"Get out of my way," he nearly growled at her.

"No!" she snapped, narrowing her eyes, "Anakin you cannot do this!"

"You are NOT my Master!" he snarled, throwing her words back at her, reaching out to shove her aside, reaching for his lightsaber on his utility belt.

"No!" Amira reached out and grabbed his wrist as tightly as she could, stilling it just as he grabbed the hilt, "Anakin, don't!"

"Let me go!" he struggled, but she wouldn't.

"I'm not going to let you do this Anakin!" she tightened her grip so much her knuckles were turning white and she was sure he might end up with a bruised wrist for it.

"You're going to stop me?" he sneered at that.

Her jaw set, "Yes," she hissed, "If I have to duel you to do it, I will."

"You won't win this time," he threatened.

"I don't doubt that at all," she lifted her chin, knowing that in his anger he'd be much more vicious than ever, he wouldn't stop, he wouldn't make this light, he wouldn't hesitate to cut through her to get to the Tuskens, and she wasn't sure she had it in her to kill him first, even in self-defense, "But you WILL have to kill me before you get to them."

"Why are you defending them!? They're MONSTERS!"

"Whatever they are, they're_ living beings_. A Jedi's sworn duty is to protect life, not matter what, no matter whose life, even those who don't appreciate it themselves and we do NOT take life easily! You go out there, Anakin, you slaughter them without a single thought, and you will be throwing away _everything_ you have worked for, you will be turning your back on the Code, and you will be starting down a path that will destroy you. And I care about you too much to let that happen to you!" she was breathing heavily by this point, her body shaking from the combination of trying to hold his hand in place and keep herself from raising her voice too much, knowing all of this depended on them being undetected.

She took a breath and stepped back, letting go of his wrist as though she were shoving it away from her, blocking the door, "You cut through me to get to them."

Anakin stared at her, his shoulders heaving from anger and from how quickly his heart was racing, how fast he was breathing. His hand was still on the hilt of his saber, clenching around it.

"You wanted to protect me from those monsters?" she added, nodding towards the door, reminding him of what he'd said, "Don't turn into one of them."

He felt the breath leave him as though she had physically punched him in the gut, his hand almost flying away from his saber at her words. He could have taken up the lightsaber before, he could have, even when she had him in her grip, he was stronger than her, he had the Force on his side, he could have subdued her, thrown her aside and grabbed his saber and attacked. He could have attacked her, easily…but as angry as he had been, one thought still managed to cut through all of that, he cared about her too much to hurt her as well.

And her words had snapped the world back into crystal clarity from the red haze that had settled over him.

That _had_ been the entire reason he hadn't wanted her to come, to keep her safe from the harm the Tuskens could do to her…he hadn't even considered she would have to protect them from him, that she'd have to defend herself against HIM, that he could ever be compared to those monsters…

Amira eyed him closely, seeing her words striking him where she hated to make them, but she needed to get through to him, and if it meant being harsh, if it meant saying what she had, she would do it, if it meant keeping him from falling to the path of the Dark Side, she'd do it, "You have a choice, Anakin, do not be rash," she swallowed hard, "You can pick up your mother and get her out of here before her wounds kill her, or you can waste time with me and with attacking the Tuskens," there was only one more thing she could think of that would truly make him step back and leave, "Which would your mother want you to do, if she were awake, if she could hear you speaking now, see you now, what would you want her to see? Her son coming to her rescue, or her son turning into a murderer before her eyes?"

Anakin looked down at that and, without a word, turned around and moved back to his mother's side, gently picking her up.

Amira watched as he carefully moved towards the hole she'd cut, ducking down to get out of the hut, leaving her standing there a moment, tears filling her eyes for what had just happened.

It had been so much more than Anakin realized, it wasn't just him about to attack the Tuskens, it wasn't even the state Shmi was in, or even her having to stare him down as the darkness swelled inside him…it was how he'd stood just then, it had been his entire countenance, the way he looked half in the shadows, the feeling he'd given her to stand across from him like that. It was familiar to her, familiar in a way that she knew she hadn't actually SEEN before, not in the waking world, no.

Because the Anakin she had seen just then…she'd seen it before, in her nightmares, the shadowy figure standing in the doorway, lightsaber in hand, the Younglings dead around her…

It was _Anakin_.

~8~

Far from Tatooine, in the middle of the Jedi Temple, Master Yoda sat in his quarters, meditating, when a familiar voice drifted through his mind, an old voice, a dead voice, calling out with startling clarity.

"_No, Anakin! Don't!_" was the voice of Qui-Gon Jinn, making Yoda gasp in faint surprise, before the voice suddenly went quiet, drifting to him once more, almost reverential, "_Thank the Force…_"

Yoda's eyes snapped open just as the doors to his rooms opened and Master Mace Windu entered, a sense of immense relief washing over him that had him closing his eyes once more.

Windu paused, observing his fellow Master with concern, especially when the green one's eyes opened to reveal them prickling with tears, "What is it?"

"Pain," he answered, "Suffering. But then…Mercy and Peace," he looked at Windu, "Nearly happened, something terrible has. Young Skywalker was in pain, terrible pain."

"Was?" Windu stiffened, all sorts of different ways to interpret that flying through his mind. Had something happened to Obi-Wan's Padawan? Was he alright? Did he even live?

"Brought him peace, young Amira-Tal has," Yoda added, "A devastating tragedy, she has prevented."

"Then why do you appear so conflicted?" Windu frowned, noting how Yoda was frowning, his brows furrowed in deep thought, radiating concern and conflict and distress.

"A shift in the Force, I sense," Yoda sighed, closing his eyes and shaking his head, "Tested, our ways shall be. Now rests on but one, the fate of the Chosen One does."

~8~

Anakin had tried not to listen as he raced along the planet, to Amira speaking behind him. They'd managed to wedge Shmi between the two of them, Amira holding onto him as well as his mother. She was trying to reassure the unconscious woman, to whisper soothing words, to help her hold on till they got back to the moisture farm. He felt his throat constrict and his heart thump painfully with each whisper she gave his mother. She was comforting the woman, she was caring for her, and it was too much. She was doing too much, had already done so much and she didn't even realize, just kept giving her help any way she could.

He was sure that he would think, for the rest of his life, that it was her speaking to his mother that had kept her alive and clinging to life by the time they made it back to Lars and his family, having pushed the speeder faster than was probably wise to do so. He'd jumped off the speeder, Amir already shouting for C-3PO and Owen for help as they moved. And then it was a blur, it was a literal blur to him every moment between then and what he was doing now, just…sitting beside his mother, holding her hand as she laid in the small bed she and Lars shared, sleeping.

He could remember Owen having to carry Shmi, he had been shaking so badly from the experience. He could remember Lars' screaming and weeping in joy at seeing her there. And Beru rushing to get what little supplies they had to tend to the woman's wounds, Amira moving to help her gather bandages. He vaguely remembered getting back on the speeder and racing to the shuttle they'd come in for more supplies, it was well stocked for treating injuries after all. He could remember standing in the doorway with Lars and Owen, the boy not even reprimanding his father for standing, as they watched Beru and Amira hurrying around Shmi, cleaning her wounds, scanning her with some of the shuttle's tech to see what her injuries were. He knew he should have helped, but there was only so much room to move about and three people fretting over his mother would have made it harder to properly treat her injuries.

It had been the longest, most exhausting day of his life and even right at that moment, sitting beside his mother, he couldn't bring himself to really rest, to try and sleep. Every time he closed his eyes he either saw his mother tied up and within an inch from death…or Amira standing before him, defiant, telling him he'd have to kill her. That last image made him feel sick to his stomach, feel so disgusted in himself, so horrified to realize he really HAD been an inch away from taking it that far and if she hadn't done what she had…

He looked up when there was a soft knock on the door frame, even though he didn't need to look to know it was Amira. Owen, Lars, and Beru, despite being his mother's family as well, had understood that this was something he needed, the time with her alone. No matter how worried they were, HE was her blood-son, he had been the one to go into that camp and get her out, to see her in the state and race to get her back, he needed to be close to her, to be sure she was alright more than they needed to be in the room too. They were close, he was sure, likely just outside the door, waiting, but they'd allowed him this comfort of being in the room with her.

"Beru offered me this to eat," she held up something that looked like a biscuit to him, a flatbread he knew was common on the moisture farms, "I wasn't hungry. Want it?"

He shook his head, turning back to Shmi.

Amira hesitated a moment, before she stepped into the room, moving across it to lean against the wall in front of him, sitting down on the floor so that she was near level with Shmi's head, so he could still look at her without having to fully look away from his mother.

Anakin closed his eyes at that, she was considerate in a way he didn't think he could ever be. He was noticing that more and more, this whole trip was forcing him to realize those things about her, this whole trip had been a consideration of hers for him. Her stopping him in the camp had been in consideration for him, for his training and future, for his soul. Everything she'd done since they left the Temple had been for him…and how had he repaid her?

"She may not wake for a while, Skywalker," she began after a moment, making him look at her, "You should rest."

"I can't," he muttered quickly, "If I do, I'll just…"

She nodded, understanding, he'd dream about what happened, his mind would invent nightmares of how he could have failed, how badly it could have gone.

Anakin nearly shook his head at her reaction, she knew him. She knew him so well, sometimes he felt like she knew him better than he even knew himself. She had known exactly what he was going to do when they found out his mother had been taken, she knew what he had planned to do to the Tuskens, she had known what he'd been thinking when Watto told him to follow him into his shop…he didn't even have to really say anything and she just knew.

But, then again, he liked to think he knew her that well too, he liked to think that. Though he was starting to realize there was much more to her than he originally thought. At first she'd just been some annoying Padawan, then a cheat, but…interesting. Then she got into his head, she made him question things, she made him think about her, more and more. She'd become something of a friend to him, a tutor of sorts, a fellow Padawan, and then a true friend. He was starting to feel that…she was more than just that to him now. He'd been truthful in when he'd hugged her on the shuttle, no friend he'd ever had would have done this for him. He hadn't even realized till now, till looking at her as she absently picked at the bread in her hands, as she sat there before him, STILL at his side even after what he'd done, that…he might be starting to see her as not a friend but something wholly different, in a way that made his heart pound and his mind go fuzzy, his tongue tie and his palms sweat, that made him feel warm and…safe and…happy.

"You need a distraction," she spoke, almost making him jump he'd been so lost in his thoughts, "Something to take your mind off of everything."

"Like what?" he looked at her, unable to help the involuntarily way his gaze flickered to her mouth for but a single moment before he focused on her deep eyes once more.

"You told me you liked making things, building things," she shrugged, not having noticed, "Have any upgrades in mind for C-3PO?"

He shook his head and fell silent at that for a long time before he spoke quietly, "She could have died," he looked at his mother, "She still might…"

"She won't," Amira shifted onto her knees, reaching out to put a hand on his knee, "She's a strong woman," she reminded him, "She'd have to be to put up with you for nine years," she nudged his leg, offering him a smile that earned one back in return, even if it was a small one, "She won't stop fighting, not now that she knows you're back. She'll wake, and she'll heal. She's ok, Anakin, she's safe now."

His smile started to fade, "But she won't always be," he swallowed hard, focusing on his mother again, "She should have been safe. She was _free_, she was fine…but the Tuskens…"

Amira nearly took a breath of relief when she heard a crack in his voice for Tuskens instead of anger, "Then…we find some way to keep her safe, so that they can't do it again."

"How?" he almost scoffed at the idea.

Amira shrugged, "You're good at making things, so…make something."

"Like what?" he shook his head, "Mom wouldn't ever use a weapon, not even after this."

"So think of something that she could use to protect herself then. Something to…to keep them grabbing her again, so that you'll always know she's safe no matter what. Like…a shield or something. A force field to keep them away till she can get somewhere safe."

Anakin looked at her a moment, "A…personal force field?" would that even be possible? Were there even supplies that would be good enough to make one there?

She sighed, "I don't know. You're the builder here," she nudged his leg again and sat back against the wall once more, "If anyone could think of a way to do it, Skywalker, it would be you."

Anakin considered it, his mind racing for a way to do it. The shuttle had basic shield technology, maybe he could adapt that to some sort of bracelet or something that his mother could carry with her and activate if there was danger. Jedi were supposed to be honest, but…he was sure that he could convince Amira to go along with a story that the shields had been damaged while they were there, or that some thieves had come in and managed to take a few bits of tech from the shuttle. It was possible, the shuttle WAS empty and he would be willing to bet that it would be believable for him to say that he'd been so eager to see his mother that he'd forgotten to secure the shuttle. The Council would believe it…

It…it just might work.

"Thank you," he breathed, looking at Amira softly.

She blinked and looked at him, "For what?'

He almost laughed at that, she seemed genuinely confused and he wasn't sure whether it was that she didn't think she needed thanks or she had just gotten distracted from the conversation, likely the latter with her, "Everything," he swallowed hard, "For this trip, for coming with me, for helping me save my mom, for…stopping me."

"You're welcome," she murmured, "I just…I wasn't going to let you fall into that, I wasn't going to let your anger turn you into…that."

"You saved me," Anakin told her.

Amira's head snapped over to him, "We saved your mother, Skywalker."

"We did, but YOU saved ME," he insisted, "I was going to kill them. I _wanted_ to. I wanted to slaughter them like the animals they were. I hated them so much," he looked away, tears prickling at his eyes, realizing the true magnitude of what he'd nearly done, what he'd been willing to do, what a part of him still wanted to do even as the desire faded with each minute he spent with her, "I wouldn't have cared, man, woman, child, I _wouldn't_ have cared, I'd just…I'd have killed them, every last one of them. I couldn't have stopped myself, I couldn't have controlled myself, I know that…" he looked at her again, "But YOU did. You stopped me."

"Anger leads to Hatred," Amira recited quietly, "Hatred to the Dark Side. You really do have too good a heart, Anakin, to let you just fall to that and not try to stop you. You have too bright a future as a Jedi to not try and pull you out of those thoughts," she tilted her head at him, "Thank _you_."

"For what?" he repeated, though this time he had the right of genuine curiosity, there was absolutely nothing he could think of that she could be thanking HIM for.

"For listening," she sighed, "For trusting me and my judgment and turning around. You didn't have to, you COULD have fought me and gone after them but you didn't, you turned around and walked away."

"You are always right, aren't you?" he tried to tease, but it came out as far more serious than either of them expected, Anakin sounding almost like he was in the midst of coming to some sort of revelation, "You're always right…"

"Skywalker?" she frowned, not sure where his mind was going. She really wasn't always right, she'd been joking about it before.

"Am I ready for the Trials?" he asked her, a look of dead seriousness on his face.

"I don't think either of us are," she answered honestly and diplomatically, not making it just about him, "Or our Masters would've let us take them by now."

He nodded, "Ever since I left this planet, left my mom,_ all_ I wanted to do was make her proud and be the greatest Jedi ever, be the most _powerful_."

"Power doesn't always equate greatness," Amira remarked, "Being a great Jedi, a true Jedi, means focusing on the Code, on the way of the Jedi, on so many other things than just being powerful. The Dark Side is powerful, but that doesn't mean they are good Jedi. And I think your mother would rather you be a good man than a powerful one."

"She would," Anakin nodded, as though it were just hitting him now that everything he'd been striving for had gotten warped in his mind, "I used to think that Obi-Wan was jealous of me, that he was holding me back, because of how much more powerful I am than he is…but he's not, is he? He just wants the best for me, for me to be the best Jedi I can be too."

"He's always wanted that Skywalker," Amira's frown deepened, she really had absolutely no idea where he was going with this, but he was talking so fast, as though this were an epiphany of sorts for him.

"I owe him, and my mother, to be a good Jedi first and foremost," he nodded, power, if it came, could come later, just…being a decent human being should be first, "And you…"

"Me?" Amira actually pointed at herself, utterly lost at this point.

"You."

"You're not making any sense at all, Skywalker."

"I am," he argued, "Just…just listen, ok?" he took a breath, "I trust you," he told her, "I trust you and your judgment, both in the Tusken camp, and now and I can't see it changing in the future. I trust you and…I owe you, so much, Amira, so much more than you know. If you say I'm not ready for the Trials. Then I'm not. And I'll work to be. And, when YOU think I am, then I'll ask my Master if he agrees."

Amira blinked at that, "That's a little reversed," she warned, "Your Master should come first, he knows you…"

"NOT better than you," he insisted, "You know me…better than my Master does, you understand me better than he ever will, Amira. You know me better in ten days than my Master has in ten years."

She _highly_ doubted that, there was no way possible that Obi-Wan did not know his Padawan as well as her Master knew her, but the way Anakin was looking at her, he fully believed what he was saying.

"I trust your judgment," he grew quiet, "It just happens to be the same as my Master's. And when you think I'm ready…he will too."

She nodded slowly at that, starting to understand, he wasn't putting his entire stock on her opinion of him, he wasn't basing everything on what she thought over his Master. He was using her as a guide for when his Master might think him ready for the Trials. If she and his Master were of like minds about him, when she thought one thing, his Master was likely to as well. He was telling her that he was going to stop criticizing his Master and believing he was ready for something when he wasn't, that he'd work harder to make them both feel he was ready for it.

"I'm honored you have such faith in my judgment," she breathed, and she truly was.

He smiled at her though, "It's more than that."

"There's more?" she almost snorted.

He nodded, "I…owe you, Amira, so much. I owe you my mother's life, if you hadn't organized this trip when you had I don't…" he trailed off, not wanting to even think about what could have happened, "I owe you for helping me better myself as a Jedi. I am truly indebted to you and there is only one way I can think to repay you."

"You don't owe me anything, Skywalker," she started to shift at that, moving her legs to extend before her, she was starting to get an odd feeling in her stomach, like she wasn't sure if his next words would be good or bad.

"I do," he repeated, "And I will not take my Trials, till you can take yours."

"What?!" she gaped at him, of ALL the things he could have said, that was not what she expected.

He actually managed a laugh at her for that, for her disbelief, "I won't. I refuse. I will spend the rest of my life helping you prepare for them, Amira, if that's what it takes. But I refuse to become a Jedi without you by my side."

Truly, after all of this, after the hell he had been through to get his mother back, after how much she had grounded him, tethered him to the way of the Jedi, kept him from tainting his soul the way he would have…

He didn't think he could exist without her at his side.

Amira opened her mouth to say something more…when another sound stopped her, a faint whisper from the bed beside her as Shmi Skywalker took a deep breath.

"Mom?" Anakin turned to his mother, moving closer to the bed, clutching her hand tighter.

Amira couldn't help but smile as Shmi managed to open her eyes a bit more than before and give a smile of her own to her son, "Ani…"

A/N: Shmi's alive! ^-^ Ooh but Amira knows who her vision was about now! O.O That may or may not be a good thing given her drive to help keep him from the Dark Side, and seeing what his attachment to his mother did to him here...Hmm...now we've got Anakin starting to realize how attached he's getting to Amira as well }:) We'll find out a little more about Shmi and her thoughts on Anakin and Amira very soon and then we'll start to blend more of the movie in ;)

Anakin still needs to work on how rash he is at times, making a promise like that to Amira that he'll hold off his opportunity at the Trials till she can take them too. It's sweet in a way, honoring their friendship and proving his commitment to helping her prepare for the Trials as she is him. I think it also might mean that he's starting to realize there are things more important than just pushing and pushing and pushing to be a great Jedi, like having the foundation and support to be a great one, not just a powerful one :) Might take his 'arrogance' down a peg or two ;) But, then again, he also still seems to have that same 'passion' for someone he might love, wanting Amira at his side }:) You can't change over night after all ;)

As for Yoda...it'll certainly make things complicated and test the Jedi Ways...but it may not be in the way you expect }:)

Some notes on reviews...

I can't say just yet what Anakin's path will be, this chapter changed a lot...but there may be a blow to come that'll tempt him just as much to the Dark Side }:)

I can say this chapter will change a lot on his control over his thoughts and emotions...towards other people. It might just make it harder when it relates to Amira though ;) As for Jara, there'll be an update of IYC on February 14/15th ish and the Lunar Cycle will be picked up again on January 28th so we'll see hints of Jara in the main series popping up ;)

Thank you :) I've found a few sites that stream/download the Clone Wars episodes :) I just have to get my soundcard fixed on my computer so I can hear them lol ;)


	9. Rescuees and Rescuers

Rescuees and Rescuers

Shmi Skywalker or…Shmi Lars now, sat in a small chair beside her husband, the man with his arm around her, having hardly let her out of his sight once she'd woken up despite it having been a little more than a week ago. Her stepson and his love were in the courtyard, fiddling about with the varporators, taking over quite a bit of the duties around the homestead till the two of them could get back on their feet, so to speak. She was healing nicely, still sore and tender, her cuts would leave scars, the Tuskens had seen to that, her bruising still leaving yellow splotches on her body but they were fading every day as her strength slowly returned. She had faint limp that she knew was likely not to fade with her other injuries, it was a true miracle that she hadn't suffered more broken bones than she had. Her cheekbone had been shattered just beneath her left eye, her ribs cracked and two of her fingers snapped as well. It was truly a miracle that she hadn't been harmed more than she was, but, at the same time, she knew it wasn't all that much of a miracle at all. The treatment she'd suffered under the Tuskens had steadily grown worse, she didn't doubt that, had she been there longer, they would have started to break more of her, hurt her more, kill her eventually.

She took a deep breath at that, she was alive, she was alive and safe and healing, because of her son, her Ani. She looked over to where he was, not far from her, he hadn't strayed far from her since she'd woken either, he or that girl that had come with him, Amira-Tal she'd been introduced as, a fellow Padawan, and the one Shmi owed her life to for the girl had been the reason Anakin had been on the planet when he was. She had wept so much at that, trying to hug the girl despite the pain it caused her when she was well enough to sit up, had half demanded that the girl sit with her and tell her her story. It was a simple tale, she had been taken from her family at a very young age, as was typical for the Jedi, had been raised in the Temple, been assigned a Master, and was training for the Trials to become a Jedi Knight, much like Anakin. When she'd said that though, she'd gotten very quiet, explaining only after she was asked that Anakin had swore to forego his own Trials until she could take hers too.

Shmi smiled at that, observing the two of them. Anakin was sitting on the ground, his leg crossed, his back to one of the walls with Amira beside him, her legs extended, hands resting in her lap…completely out for the count, and with her head resting on Anakin's shoulder where she'd drifted off. Shmi didn't blame her for it at all. The girl had been tireless in helping Beru care for her, changing her bandages, cleaning her wounds, helping her eat, just…caring for her. The girl had a good heart, a pure and warm one and…she could see how that very detail was affecting her son. She had this…vague memory, like a nightmare, of shouting, of being in such pain and in darkness and hearing him crying with such malice and anger in his voice unintelligible words but the emotion behind them, it made her shiver to think of, to think of her baby boy holding that much hatred in him, that much anger and pain and sorrow…

Looking at him now, she was sure it was only a nightmare induced by her Tusken treatment, looking at him right that second it was impossible to think he held even an ounce of hatred in him. He was sitting as still as possible so as not to disturb Amira, his head turned slightly so he could observe her sleeping, with the softest of smiles on his face, the most gentle and warm of lights in his eyes. She had never seen that look in him ever, not even in her imagination, not even when he'd been a boy and she'd imagine what his future would be like, if he were free, if he found a woman he loved and married her and had a family of his own. She knew it was impossible now, he was to become a Jedi and she didn't think they accepted actions like that, Amira was to be a Jedi as well too, it would be forbidden.

But she was his mother, she wouldn't breathe a word if she happened to know her son felt a certain way about a fellow Padawan. What he felt and what he acted on were different things and, if she put any stock in her nightmare, Amira wouldn't allow it, Amira had been the thing that turned the anger and hatred and sorrow in her son to quiet whispers and gentle reassurances and calm. A Jedi Amira was not, not yet, but a Padawan…she couldn't think of any reason why a mere Padawan, why even just a friend, would stand in the path of that destruction and fight so hard to stop it if not that it wasn't just friendship felt.

And she would not say a word.

Her son had been through so much in his life, so much hardship and pain and loss, she would not begrudge him or deprive him of the comfort Amira so clearly provided him by saying anything to him or to her about their feelings for each other. If neither realized what it was, she would not point it out, she couldn't help the sadness that crept into her at the thought that, once they were aware what they felt, they would pull away, try to stop it, for the sake of being Jedi. She would let them have this comfort as long as possible.

She felt her lips quirk up as she thought more on that, on the last week or so with her son and the girl around, getting to know Lars and Owen and Beru as well. Anakin, whenever he wasn't beside her, whenever Amira was taken with another task, had gone through the entire farm, repairing everything that needed mending that he could get his hands on before retreating with Owen into the markets every so often, returning with small objects and wires and bits of tech she couldn't recognize. But when Amira was free to spend time with him, which she (secretly) could admit she may have taken to pushing the girl off with claims that she was fine and healing and could do things herself even it if still caused her pain, that was where Anakin was. The two of them had explained to her that their Masters had both been sent on missions and left their Padawans behind to train, and that they had formed a sort of pact to help each other improve.

Amira had insisted that they continue it even though they were away from the Temple and her son had readily agreed. It surprised her, she'd never seen him agree to do something so quickly or easily, even when Watto would order him about, sometimes even when SHE had asked him as a boy. Anakin followed Amira like a small animal would its mother at times, if not physically than with his eyes whenever she was in sight but always with more in his gaze than a boy would see in their mother. They would duel with their lightsabers as the suns were rising, using the changing in the light to help them practice adapting quicker to shadows and being blinded ever so often. She noticed Amira actually offering her son pointers at times, stopping their practice to show him the 'proper' stance or way to make a move. It made her smile to see Anakin intently listening to her and following her instruction, he truly was dedicated to learning.

Other times they would meditate together, more often as the suns were setting, a way to calm after a long day. They'd sit out on the desert, facing each other, their knees touching, hands in each other's lap, just breathing. She would watch them, she could see Amira's face relaxing more and more while Anakin sometimes spoke to her, helping her focus and reach out with her senses. She didn't know what had happened once, but Anakin had said something that had made Amira laugh and shove him and it somehow led to a wrestling match in the dust, both had come back with sand in their hair and all over their clothes. It had made her so happy to see the bright smile on his face, one she hadn't seen since he was a boy, one she hadn't thought she'd ever see again both while he'd gone off to the Jedi and when she'd been taken by the Tuskens.

Still, there were moments where she'd catch sight of them by the stairs in the courtyard, Anakin on the ground with Amira up a step or two, him instructing her on how to tap into the Force, to use it to help her jump off the steps and slow herself from falling too quickly. The look in Amira's eyes when she saw them was of such gratitude and thankfulness and appreciation that she'd had to inquire about it…and found out her son had essentially pushed her off a ledge quite a few levels up and scared the life out of her when she fell off it till he'd caught her. She'd boxed him around the ears for that one even if he had apologized for it and been forgiven. Amira was just very glad he was starting her off smaller in helping her with her Force Jumps.

At the moment, though, she knew they'd been practicing helping Anakin choose his words more carefully. He'd always been quick to speak, even as a child, had gotten him hit more than once which had killed her to be unable to stop when it happened. Amira seemed to think he needed to control his tongue a little more, hold it, be more considerate when he did speak, and practiced with him. They'd been sitting there, talking, sounding slightly like they were debating, their speech growing more formal in style as they went, politer, the answers growing more diplomatic as well. It had been in the middle of that that Amira had drifted off while Anakin was speaking. Her boy didn't seem at all upset by it, just smiling as he observed her resting.

It was a scene that warmed her heart so much, her boy, her son, sitting beside a girl he clearly cared for, being so considerate of her and so soft in his affections. She had seen a look like that from him once before, when he'd been a boy, when that young handmaiden had come around with the Jedi, she'd seen him look at her like she was a wonder, smitten with her. She saw something like it in his eyes now, but…so much more. He looked at Amira, when she wasn't looking, as though she weren't just a wonder but a treasure, with something so much more than smitten in his eyes. That handmaiden, she had been a good girl, Shmi could tell, was likely still a good one, but she'd also been older than her son, would depart back to her planet and that would be all. This girl though, she knew Amira was but a year younger than Anakin but she was so much wiser, she assumed as a result of her training for years more than Anakin had and from a younger age, but she was kind as well, in her training to be a Jedi she shared more with Anakin than a handmaiden from another planet every could.

There was a foundation there, a deeper friendship, between Anakin and Amira than she was sure could have formed between her son and that handmaiden, they had clearly spent time together, truly getting to know each other, to help each other, understood each other.

She could only hope that that understanding would continue, that the friendship would endure whatever feelings were developing between the two of them. Jedi or not, Anakin was her son, and she just wanted him happy.

So, when C-3PO came shuffling into the room with a shout for Anakin and Amira, citing that the sensors that Anakin had given him to keep track of the state of their shuttle had gone off, that a message from an Obi-Wan Kenobi was coming through, she could only close her eyes. She knew, Anakin had told her, that this was to be his last trip there, the last time he could see her again, that he had been tasked to come there, see that she was well, and say goodbye. They had already stretched the parameters the Council had given them, as she was NOT well and they wouldn't need to leave till she was, but this…this would cut it short.

She was thankful, immensely, for the extra time with her son, to see him again, to be saved by him, but she was disheartened to know that he would have to leave, that this would be their final goodbye. She would not lie, nor hold back that, she cried as she stood and hugged him tightly, feeling him trembling against her, knowing he was trying not to cry as well. But she smiled at him as she pulled away, touched his face, memorized it, and told him how proud she was of him and how much she loved him, how happy she was that he was on the path he was, to a life better than she could give him, to more happiness and purpose than he would have found on Tatooine. She wasn't just speaking of happiness and purpose as a Jedi, she wouldn't deny her gaze had flickered to Amira as well, but she said nothing, just gestured Amira to her to hug her as well, thanking her for coming, for bringing Anakin there, for caring for him the way she had. If she whispered to her to please watch over Anakin for her then that was her right as his mother. Amira, to her credit, only nodded in promise, knowing if she spoke Anakin would ask what had been said.

Shmi stood on the planet's surface, Lars, Owen, and Beru around her, before their home, with Anakin across from her, tears in her eyes as she tried to be strong, tried to be able to watch her son walk away from her again and know that this time…he would not ever becoming back, but that he would be safe and protected and happy, so long as Amira kept her promise, which she knew the girl would. Anakin took a moment longer before her, reaching out to press something into her hand, two somethings. She opened her palm to look at the small wristbands he'd made her, like a circuit morphed into a cuff that could be slid onto her arm, a small black button on the side, and gave him a questioning look.

"A shield," he offered, "For you and Beru," he nodded at the girl, who looked started she was being included in that, "Press that button," he gently took one of the bands and placed it on his mother's wrist, showing her the button, "And a force field will emit from around you, it'll keep anyone else from getting to you till you can get somewhere safe. The Tuskens will never harm you again," he promised.

This time it wasn't Shmi who hugged Anakin, but Owen, "Thank you, brother," the man murmured to Anakin as they embraced, Amira watching with a smile as Shmi gave Beru the bracelet as well.

"I wouldn't see this happen again," Anakin told Owen, clasping his brother's arm, understanding pasting between them. It could have just as easily been Beru than Shmi, and the fate that would have followed at the hands of Tuskens was not something anyone deserved. He took a deep breath and looked at his mother once more, giving her a nod, not trusting that he'd be able to keep himself together if he hugged her again.

Shmi bowed her head as well, understanding her son, gripping Lars' arm as Anakin turned and walked away with C-3PO shuffling after him, she and Lars having insisted he take the droid with them, over to Amira, a small smile making its way onto her face as she saw him take her hand as they went, Amira allowing it in a show of comfort to the boy that was truly leaving his family for the last time.

~8~

Amira stopped before the entrance to the shuttle, C-3PO heading into it as Anakin hadn't tugged the droid back by the hand he was still holding. She knew she should have taken her hand away, that she should have kept him from taking it in the first place…but he was leaving his mother, his mother who had nearly died, and she could feel the sorrow drifting off him. It wasn't just sorrow though, there was a…lightness coming from him, like a worry had been lifted. He'd taken her suggestion and gone into the markets with Owen for scraps of tech that could be used to adapt their shuttle's shields into the bracelets, into personal force fields for Shmi. Anakin had been the one to think of making one for Beru as well which had led to her smiling widely the whole day. SHE hadn't considered that, but Anakin had, he was truly growing into a truly wonderful man…

And those thoughts weren't good to have, nor was him holding her hand, the tingling in her hand shooting up her arm and making her stomach flip and her heart race and she had almost convinced herself it was just the heat of the planet, that she wasn't used to it, till he'd tugged her back and let go of her hand, which had suddenly gotten very cold.

"Thank you," he began quietly, needing to tell her that before they left, before they went into the shuttle and headed to wherever Obi-Wan wanted, C-3PO had insisted that the transmission was urgent, needing her to know he meant it, "I…"

"I think you've thanked me enough, Skywalkwer," she teased, "Anymore and I'll have to start up a tally."

He smiled at that, taking a breath and looking back the way they came, "Why does this feel different this time?"

She followed his gaze but then turned back to him, "Does it?"

He nodded, "I feel less like I'm abandoning my mom and more like…like I'm heading into a new phase of my life."

Amira shrugged, not sure, "She's safe, she's free, and she's protected," she began, "That was what you told me you felt the worst about. That she had still been Watto's slave when you left. She's not anymore. Now you know she's happy, she's surrounded by those that care for her as much as you do, and she's always going to be protected, thanks to you."

Anakin started to smile at that, nodding slowly, "She is," he agreed. Last time he'd left her defenseless, always worrying if she was ok, but this time…this time HE had left her something to keep her safe. It was like he hadn't just abandoned her this time, he'd made sure she was cared for and safe, he felt like his mind was more at ease, his heart less pained, to know that he'd done something to make sure his mother would forever be ok without him.

Amira tilted her head to look at him, at the expression on his face, soft and happy and relieved and proud in a sense that he had done something good for another instead of just that he was being arrogant, thankful even. Looking at him now, in the light of Tatooine's suns, with that expression on his face, that softness in his eyes, she almost couldn't believe the revelation she'd come to about her own nightmares, that he was the shadow that she always saw when she dreamt of the Younglings. She wanted to shake that off, to think that it wasn't him, it was just her mind playing tricks on her, but the first time she and Anakin had meditated after that, something he had needed more once Shmi woke to calm him and reassure him, it was like that flash she saw, the one that always jerked her out of her meditations, it wasn't a flash of light or emotion anymore. It was a flash of the nightmare, it was a clear split second of it, of Anakin truly standing there in the doorway, lightsaber in hand, the same expression of hatred and darkness she'd seen in the Tusken camp.

She knew, for certain, that Anakin had been the shadow she'd been dreaming of for years now.

She also knew she should be frightened by that, she should want to pull away from him, run from him. But she couldn't make herself do it. She had been having that nightmare for SO long…about ten years now, she realized as she thought on it, since Anakin had been accepted into training. Something had been showing her it, the same image and…after having dealt with Anakin, with his repetitive dream being a vision of Shmi, she could feel an unsettling coiling in her gut that her dreams, her nightmares…were visions as well.

But instead of sending her running, all she could feel was a resolve form inside her. The Force tried to help them, guide them, with their visions. Jedi didn't dream, they didn't have nightmares, they had visions. It had been foolish of her to think her nightmares were just that, she understood that now. The Force had been trying to warn her about Anakin, yet she couldn't bring her mind to think that it was meant to be a warning AWAY from him…but one that was meant to draw her to him. It was a warning yes, it hadn't happened…

Which meant it could be prevented.

And she was determined to do just that, she was NOT going to let him fall to the Dark Side.

"But your Master may not be," she reminded him, shaking herself from her thoughts. Whatever she might do or try to do to help Anakin keep to the path of the light, it wasn't going to happen right that second, they weren't even at the Temple, right now his Master might need them more than Anakin did.

"Of course," Anakin nodded, gesturing for her to go ahead of him into the shuttle.

Amira would deny to anyone that asked that she shivered when Anakin placed a hand on her back as he followed her into the shuttle, closing the door behind them as she moved to the communications controls and activating the message from Obi-Wan.

A small 3D image of him flickered into the middle of the shuttle, "Anakin," Obi-Wan began, "My long range transmitter has been knocked out. Retransmit this message to Coruscant," Amira quickly turned and did just that, opening their own transmitter back to the Temple, "I have tracked the bounty hunter Jango Fett to the droid foundries on Geonosis. The Trade Federation is to take taking delivery of a droid army here and it is clear that Viceroy Gunray...is behind the assassination attempts on Senator Amidala," Amira glanced at Anakin at that, but the boy's face was blank with reaction save a growing seriousness at the message, "The Commerce Guilds and Corporate Alliance have both pledged their armies to Count Dooku and are forming an...wait!" he suddenly cried, turning, seeing something off to the side, "Wait!"

The hologram cut off, but not before they saw Droidekas, robots with laser arms, three legs, and a curved back and head that usually allowed them to curl into a ball and roll after their enemies, attacking the man.

"Skywalker…" Amira began, looking at him, knowing it was his Master at stake.

"What do we do?" he asked quietly, his hands clenched in fists, "My Master is in danger and…"

"My Master won't be allowed after him," Amira added, "The Council's top priority is to protect the Senator. But they'll send help, Skywalker," she reached out and put a hand on his arm, "The Council will send help to rescue him."

"They'll never get there in time," Anakin shook his head, "The Temple is halfway across the galaxy but…"

"But?" she hesitated, not sure if she was going to like this.

"Geonosis is less than a parsec away from US," he turned to her, "He's like my father, Amira…"

"As my Master is like a mother to me," she murmured, if she had known a mother she was sure her Master would be something like that to her. Her Master gave her the same feeling that Shmi did.

Anakin swallowed, "Our journey was to come here, see to my mother, and allow me to say goodbye to her," he began, "We are…between 'missions,'" he murmured, "We are to return to the Temple, but…did Master Yoda say anything to forbid us going to help my Master?" he looked at her intently, "Is it not a Padawan's duty to respect and honor their Master? How would it be respectful or honorable to turn my back on him when he is in dire need of assistance?"

Amira bit her lip at that, in a strange way…he DID make sense. Master Yoda had implied that they were to return to the Temple, but he had never specified it on those exact terms as an order. And Anakin was right, a Padawan was to always honor and respect their Master, to be so close and able to assist and then to refuse would be an insult to his Master, would show lack of care or concern for him. Jedi were to assist each other, to protect life, to walk away from this would be against the Code.

"The Council knows us..." he sighed, "ME," he corrected, "The would know that I'd wish to go after my Master," he glanced at the transmissions, "They have not forbid us to do so..."

Amira had to smile at that, "A very well thought out argument, Skywalker," she remarked, "I've taught you well," he started to smile at that, hopeful, as she nodded, "I think YOU should pilot this one," she remarked, moving away from the seat she'd turned to sit in to activate the communications.

Anakin grinned widely, hurrying to take her place in the pilot's seat as she moved next to him, watching as he lead the shuttle off the planet, course set for Geonosis.

~8~

Anakin expertly piloted the small shuttle as they reached Geonosis, descending it towards the planet's rusty red and brown surface, using the transmission from Obi-Wan to track the last location it had been given in, weaving in and out of different rock formations as columns of steam appeared in the distances, the scanners reporting them to be some sort of exhaust. Anakin quickly turned the shuttle towards one, lowering it through the smoke and down to the base of some sort of structure, realizing it appeared to be a city carved into the stalagmites as they stepped out of the shuttle. It was very quiet, unnaturally quite, they would have thought it almost deserted had they not heard a shuffling sound behind them as they walked along the corridors.

They spun around quickly their lightsabers activating as they came face to faces with large winged creatures that were rushing towards them, seeming like they were growing right out of the pillars that surrounded them, hiding in the shadows. They quickly started slashing and spinning and swinging, managing to cut down three of them with ease. They glanced at each other and started to run down the rest of the corridor, through another doorway and onto a small walkway that led over a conveyor belt. The door snapped shut behind them, stranding them as the walkway began to retract right underneath their feet.

"Jump?" Anakin looked at Amira, grabbing her arm to help stabilize her.

She swallowed hard, they'd been working on the Force Jumps, Anakin's presence actually helping her to push through in her meditation to start to reconnect to the Force. It should have been odd, that the source of her nightmares and visions, the reason she hadn't been able to let herself meditate earlier, was now the reason she could, but she could guess that it was her determination not to let the vision happen, her own will fighting against it and Anakin's voice as he spoke to her, his voice reassuring, so unlike the sense her vision gave her that allowed her to do so. She'd been able to manage a Force Jump from one flight of stairs just before they'd left Tatooine, this was a bit higher than that.

But she took a breath and nodded, gripping his arm tighter, trusting that if she didn't manage, that Anakin would help her along.

He gave her a firm nod and they jumped off the walkway, down onto the conveyor belt, better to jump than fall. Amira let out a breath as they landed relatively well on the belt, her dropping into a crouch from how shaky her own jump had been, but she'd done it!

Her feeling of elation was quickly cut off, however, when they saw the belt leading towards a sort of droid factory and even more winged creatures had seen them and were racing for them. They turned, back to back, and began to fight the creatures.

"This isn't so bad," Anakin called to her as they leaned on each other, slashing at the winged beasts.

"Then what's that?!" Amira pointed down the belt, to where various pressing and cutting machines were making patters in the metal around them, flattening them, cutting patterns in them.

"Ok," he muttered as they kept nearing the machines, "Spoke too soon."

"You think?" she huffed swiping at one of the winged creatures, before she turned and shoved him off the conveyor belt, onto another one a level below them, jumping off after him.

"Rude!" Anakin told her, rolling to his feet, not having landed well due to the sudden shove, "What would your Master thing?" he taunted.

"She would have YOUR Master thank me for keeping you alive," she huffed, swinging her Padawan braid behind her ear and swiping at more of the creatures as they dove for them.

They continued on much in the same manner, jumping off one belt to another, trying to avoid any of the cutting or pressing or welding machines, avoiding the winged creatures as best they could.

It wasn't till they were very nearly on the last belt that the winged creatures stopped…and Droidekas rolled onto the belt with them, surrounding them as a man in Bounty Hunter's garb dropped before them, his blaster in hand, aimed right at them.

"Don't move, Jedi!" the Hunter cried, the droidekas firing up, ready to blast them if they made a single move.

Anakin and Amira looked at each other, they were sure, together, they could take out the Droidekas, maybe, if they were very lucky, the Hunter as well…but there was an equal chance that they'd be defeated. If they surrendered now, they'd be a prisoner, just like Obi-Wan was…and maybe, just maybe…they'd be taken to him.

So they took a breath and held up their hands in surrender.

~8~

They had not been taken to Obi-Wan, they hadn't even been placed into any sort of cell either, instead the Hunter had led both Padawans to a cart, tied them up by the hands to it, leaving them in a dark tunnel with a large door before them, the sounds of a crowd cheering on the other side.

Anakin looked over at Amira as she stood there with her eyes closed as the driver of the cart got settled, ready to move them, "Don't be afraid," he managed to nudge her slightly despite how they were tied.

"I'm not afraid," she murmured, "There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge. There is no passion, there is serenity. There is no chaos, there is harmony…"

"There is no death," Anakin finished reciting the Code for her, "There is the Force," he swallowed hard, "We aren't going to die."

Amira took a breath and looked at him, "Everyone dies someday, Anakin."

"Someday, but not today," he argued, firm, "YOU won't. I won't let you. You guarded my back with the Tuskens, I will guard your back here," he hesitated, opening his mouth, wanting to add that he would like to guard her back forever, protect her, keep her safe, keep her happy and make her smile and laugh and feel the warmth that spread through him each time she so much as looked at him, bring her the tingling that shot through him when their skin brushed, offer her the heart that beat so quickly in his chest when he thought of her…

He opened his mouth to say it, when the doors before them opened, making them squint as a bright light illuminated the dark tunnel, revealing a large arena of sorts beyond, the area becoming clearer and clearer as they were rolled into it.

They didn't to see the chains dangling from the five upright pillars in the middle of the arena to understand what was happening. They didn't need to be dragged down from the cart and have their arms tied above them either. Nor did they need to be able to see the three others that were tied up on either side of them, or even listen as someone in a platform above them began to speak to the crowd and crying for the event to begin to know what this was.

It was an execution.

But even that knowledge, even the very large creatures that were being led into the area, wasn't what caused Amira's heart to stop in her chest.

No, she wasn't even looking at them, not even at Anakin to her right, nor the young woman in white all the way to the left, but instead to the woman chained up just on her her other side.

"Master?"

A/N: }:) Anakin came SO close to telling Amira something lol :) I can say that we'll see Obi-Wan's reaction to Anakin and Amira being there, and an explanation for why others are there as well very soon ;) But we got a little peek into Shmi's thoughts on them, aww, mother wants her boy to be happy :)

Some notes on reviews...

I mostly pick theme songs for the Doctor Who OCs, but that's a very nice song and I think it fits them :)

Jara is a pairing name for an OC from a Doctor Who Series I wrote (J. Smith/the Captain) and another character from it, Clara Oswald, Jara sort of became the pairing name for J and Clara :)

We'll see the Clone Wars starting in the very next chapter ;)

Probably not Owen or Beru or Lars POV on them, I feel like Shmi would be more meaningful, knowing her son as she does and the events that led to his freedom :)

I tried to explain the time line in the chapter as well, from what I found, Shmi was kidnapped the same time Anakin and Padme arrived on Naboo, so that means a month on Naboo before going to Tatooine. It was only about 2 weeks that Anakin and Amira were in the Temple that she decided to bring him to Tatooine, so only half the time in the story compared to the movie. They're still there a few weeks later so that the events of the Arena aren't sped up in an unrealistic way. I don't think Amira would have the heart to tell Anakin to say goodbye or leave his mother in the state she was in but allow him to help her get better first ;)

I tried to think if Anakin would want to kill them even with Shmi alive as well, it felt to me like he might because he was seeing her so beaten and injured that it infuriated him that someone had tortured her that much :( I can't say which direction it shifted in just yet though ;) I actually got the whole power vs. greatness thought from Harry Potter with the whole Voldemort situation :) I've actually never read a Star Wars fanfiction before lol :) I try not to read stories in the same fandom I'm writing or plan to write in to try and keep things as original as possible so that's awesome :) I love how lessons like that transverse the way they do :)

I tend to update around 6:30am (EST) for me, and then again anywhere from 6-8 hours later if I'm lucky, so about 12:30-2:30ish pm :) I've been alternating this story with a Doctor Who story so the days we only get 1 chapter here, it's because I was posting a Doctor Who chapter in the morning. The days we had 2 chapters was because I didn't post Doctor Who :) I update daily :) Sometimes, for a treat, twice a day, but usually every single day ;) I'll be starting another Doctor Who story that I won't be alternating with on the 28th so, at that point, we'll be getting mostly 1 chapter a day for this series, likely around 1 or 2pm (EST) but perhaps with an extra chapter snuck in here or there ;)


	10. Push and Pull

Push and Pull

"Padawan," Neeva replied, an irritated note in her voice that Amira recognized as being very distinct from the one her Master used when she was irritated with HER. No, her Master was peeved at someone else this time.

"I don't understand," Amira shook her head, "I did not think the Council would allow…"

"They didn't," Neeva cut in, turning her head to look at her Padawan with a sigh, "The Senator intercepted a transmission Obi-Wan sent me informing him of who was behind the assassinations," she explained, "I only just caught her in her starship as she was planning to come and rescue him herself out of guilt he'd been apprehended investigating someone after HER life."

Amira nodded at that though she had a small frown on her face. Padmé was, from what she could barely glimpse of the girl, fiddling with the manacles around her wrist and looking pointedly at anyone but the Jedi beside her, her cheeks flushed with what might have been embarrassment or guilt for the situation.

"Diplomacy does not always work," Neeva grumbled under her breath, giving Padmé a chastising look. Apparently the Senator had tried to negotiate and gotten them both captured.

"Master," she heard Anakin greet and looked to her right where Anakin was beside her, Obi-Wan on his right as well.

"Padawan," Obi-Wan gave Anakin a look, "I was beginning to wonder if you had gotten my message."

"Amira and I re-transmitted it as you requested, Master," Anakin informed him, "As the parameters of our own 'mission' didn't extend to a deadline of when to return to the Temple nor did a command come from the Council NOT to come here follow transmission of your message to them, we felt it would only be right, as a Padawan, to offer my Master assistance."

Obi-Wan blinked at him a moment, almost seeming like he wasn't sure how to respond to that, "…did you now?"

Anakin nodded, "I _am_ sorry, Master, that we seemed to have failed," he gave a small bow of his head, "I offer my most sincere apologies for any distress or shame this might cause you."

"You…do?"

Amira bit her lip as Obi-Wan's expression slowly morphed into something that resembled a gape, pretending not to see the way her own Master was shaking her head as though she had worked out exactly why Anakin was responding the way he was.

"If I may, offer my opinion about our present situation, Master?"

Obi-Wan blinked again and nodded, "I welcome it."

"I have bad feeling about this," he shifted his hand above him slightly to gesture at the arena. There were three large creatures being herded in, a Reek which was a rather rhino-like alien, a Nexu that resembled a serpentine lion, and an Acklay that appeared more a mix between a mantis and a crab, "Have you a plan, Master?"

Obi-Wan glanced over at the creatures, "Take the one the right. I'll take the one on the left. Amira," he called, leaning forward just slightly to see the woman on the other side of Anakin, "The center. Neeva," he added as a shout, "Guard the Senator…" he trailed off slightly, seeing Padmé had been able to pick her restraints somehow and was now using the chain that had bound her to climb to the top of the pillar. He shook his head, looking at the silent Anakin, an almost odd look on his face, "Understood?"

"Yes, Master," Anakin nodded, turning to focus on the creatures, preparing himself, his eyes locked on the Reek on the right.

Obi-Wan looked out into the arena, ignoring the shouts and cheers of the crowd that was watching, before he turned back to his Padawan, unable to stop himself, "That's i_t_?"

Anakin glanced at him, "Master?"

"No…arguing?" Obi-Wan shook his head, "No wanting the one on the left instead? No remarks on my errors in judgment to end up here? No quips about the danger and our odds? No better plan to offer?"

"I have some ideas," Anakin admitted, "But I defer to your knowledge, wisdom, and experience, Master."

Obi-Wan frowned intently at that, "Who _are_ you and what have you done to my Padawan?"

Anakin chuckled, internally smirking at his Master's reaction, it was JUST like Amira said it would be if he was overly obedient to Obi-Wan. He HAD been hoping for the shock to the heart she'd mentioned, but given their current situation and his divided focus, he could appreciate the suspicious look in his Master's eye, the way his gaze roved over him as though trying to determine if he was some enemy disguised as his Padawan.

"I have had…" he took a deep breath, focusing on the arena, more so that his Master would not see his gaze flicker to Amira as noticeably, "An enlightening time without you, Master."

"Oh?" was all Obi-Wan could muster, just shaking his head at the boy. He opened his mouth to remark on it, to ask what it was that had changed him so, but snapped his mouth shut. He didn't want to know, he really didn't, whatever it was…he was grateful for it though. Maybe, by the time Anakin was ready for the Trials, he'd have less gray hair and more years on his life than he feared he would.

There wasn't a chance to say another word as the Reek charged at Anakin, who used the Force to jump up right when the Reek slammed into the pillar, breaking his chain from the post as Anakin came down to land on its back. He flicked the chain and looped it around the Reek's neck like a rein, trying to use it to get control of the Reek, but it just started bucking, pulling Anakin off. Amira looked over at a terrible thud to the side to see the Acklay, the one that Obi-Wan had intended to target, had knocked over the pillar the Jedi was attached to, crushing it and breaking Obi-Wan's chain in the process, the man rushing off to lure it away when a roar on her other side made her whip her head around.

The Nexu was heading right for her Master and Padmé!

She looked around, trying to find some way to distract it, Padmé was still working on trying to yank her chains free while her Master was attempting to focus the Force enough to pull the manacles apart. She looked down, seeing a rock the size of her fist lying in the sand of the arena before her. She shifted, managing to get the rock closer and aimed…kicking it hard and sending it flying at the Nexu. It let out another angry roar and charged at her. She turned, grabbing the end of her manacles and, much like Padmé had, used it to leverage her feet onto the pillar, running around behind it as the Nexu barreled into the pillar, her momentum keeping her over the falling pillar and to the side of the Nexu as it freed her from her chains. As the pillar fell and the chain snapped she was tugged forward, rolling on the ground till she landed on her back…the Nexu rearing onto its hind legs above her, swiping down at her as she ducked to roll back the other way, narrowly avoiding its claws in the process.

She had only just scrambled to her feet when the Nexu was shoved to the side, attacked by the Reek that Anakin had gotten control over, sending it charging into the Nexu, taking it down.

"You ok?" he called down to her.

"Get the Senator to safety!" she shouted, pointing towards the pillars, her Master had gotten free, as had Padmé, running towards them herself but knowing the Reek would be faster.

He gave her a brief nod and led the Reek over to the pillars, "Jump!" he shouted at Padmé, the woman not even hesitating before she leapt from the post to land on the back of the Reek. Amira looked over to see Obi-Wan had grabbed a spear one of the guards had dropped and managed to take down the Acklay, hurrying towards them as fast as he could.

"Amira!" Neeva's voice pulled her back as she reached her Master, "Go!" she crouched slightly, her hands cupping with the clear intent to launch her into the air towards the Reek, which she did, not hesitating to do as her Master intended, landing behind Padmé.

She glanced over as her Master and Anakin's caught up, running just behind the Reek for protection as Anakin led it towards the gates they'd entered through…

Only for Droidekas to fill the arena, rolling quickly to surround them and transforming, their weapons ready, trapping them.

It was then, just as the small group thought they were finished, that all hell literally broke loose around them when about two hundred Jedi jumped out of the crowd, their lightsabers activating and swarmed the arena, taking down Geonosians and Droids alike, the Council's original rescue team had arrived and infiltrated the execution. Soon enough it was nearly chaos, lasers flew left and right, lighsabers swung, each side pushing hard against each other, each side trying to beat the other. Amira felt like she'd only blinked when she found a lightsaber in her hand, one of the other Jedi having tossed her one, others doing the same for Obi-Wan, Anakin, and her Master.

Now, she felt, the execution had truly become a _battle_.

She jumped off the Reek, grabbing Padmé as she did so and pulling her off when she felt the Reek start to buck under her, spooked by the noise of the battle. Anakin followed close behind, the three of them landing on the ground as the Reek turned and stampeded away, but they had little time to look at that or see who it might have injured as the battle closed in around them, droids starting to attack them, forcing them to defend themselves.

"Senator!" Amira shouted, "Get back!"

But Padmé ignored her, grabbing a fallen pistol and firing at what droids she could…and moving back towards Anakin.

"Ani," Amira heard Padmé call and glanced back to see the woman smiling at him…and felt herself freeze for just a moment.

Padmé, she recognized that look in the woman's eyes. It was the same look that Anakin had often had when he spoke of her in the Temple, before Obi-Wan had taken the mission to guard her. It was a soft, happy, wistful look, the way she'd spoken was slightly breathless, like she couldn't believe that Anakin was really in front of her. It sounded…longing, in a way. The expression she had it was much like she imagined Anakin's had been when he'd been going to see the woman after ten years apart, eager and happy and nervous.

She froze for just a moment at the realization that, just as Anakin had thought and pined and mooned over Padmé the last ten years, Padmé too had been doing just the same since they'd been briefly reunited…

But it was a moment too long.

"Amira!" Anakin shouted suddenly and she turned to see a droid had fired its weapon at her in her distraction.

But before she could even react, she felt herself being pulled backwards by the Force, right into one of Anakin's arms as she stumbled, Anakin reaching out with his other to curl his hand into a fist, cursing the droid with the Force.

He looked down at her, but before he could even speak, she grabbed his arm and used him as leverage to pull herself back up and spin around him, thrusting her lightsaber out and stabbing another droid that had been sneaking up on him through the middle.

They locked eyes for a moment, nodding their head in dual thanks for the assistance before parting, stepping past each other and almost moving back to back, much like Obi-Wan and Master Windu, who had joined the fray and was engaged with the Bounty Hunter, were. The only difference was the distance between them, having moved far enough apart that Padmé was between them, keeping her safe as was the priority at the moment.

"Senator," Anakin called to a rather startled looking Padmé who was staring at the two of them with an odd look, "You need to get back!"

That was all the warning he could give her as the battle grew harder, the Jedi starting to find themselves pushed back towards the center of the arena, droid after droid herding them. It was as though, for each droid they cut down, two more took their place and, for each Jedi cut down in return, one more Jedi was in danger of following the same fate. All too soon there were only 20 of them left, and too many droids and Geonosians for them to face down and survive, especially considering there were even more battle droids, thousands of them, stationed on levels of the arena above them, having been called into action and aiming right for them.

"Master Windu!" one of their captors called from the viewing platform, Amira's eyebrows shot to her hairline as she saw just who it was, Count Dooku, a former Jedi of the Order, a man whose statue, younger than appeared now, was in the Archives, and there he was, his hair white, his clothes dark, standing on the side of their enemies, "You have fought gallantly. Worthy of recognition in the history archives of the Jedi Order. Now it is finished," he grinned, "Surrender and your lives will be spared."

Master Windu lifted his chin from where he stood in between Obi-Wan and Neeva, having ended his fight with the Hunter in a victory, "We will not be hostages for you to barter with, Dooku!"

"Then, I'm sorry, old friend," the man sighed, "You will have to be destroyed," he lifted his hand and the droids around them raised their weapons…

"Look!" Padmé shouted, pointing into the air where six large gunships were speeding towards them, dropping down to land around the surrounded Jedi.

The sides of the carrier part of the crafts opened and numerous men in white and black armor stepped out, all of them holding a blaster that they immediately began to fire at the droids with, giving the Jedi cover enough to rush to the various gunships that were heavily shielded. The gunships began to lift into the air, leaving the soldiers below to take care of the droids as the rescue of the Jedi commenced, the ships rising higher and higher above the battle below. As they hovered above the arena, they could see more ships had been brought to outside the area, setting down, taking out not just the droids within but the ones that were gathered outside as well. The winged creatures Amira and Anakin had faced down were firing large cannons up at the gunships, but their shields were holding, shaking the ships instead of destroying them.

Amira quickly grabbed onto the frame of the doorway of the gunship, using it to keep herself steady as she looked across the way, to another gunship where her Master and Padmé had gathered, leaving her with Obi-Wan and Anakin in the chaos and confusion of the sudden rescue. But her attention was quickly pulled to the battle once more, the soldiers were doing an incredible job of destroying the droid army, but that didn't mean that everything was going their way. There were numerous Federation Starships starting to rise along the edges of the arena, their enemies trying to escape as well.

"Aim right above the fuel cells!" Anakin shouted to the pilot, one of the white-clad soldiers, who did as ordered, firing a stream of lasers at the base of the ship, causing it to explode a moment later, tilting dangerously towards where the gunships were all gathered, forcing them apart to avoid the ship as it fell back to the ground.

"Good call," Obi-Wan patted Anakin on the back, turning to the pilot, "Those Federation starships are taking off. Target them quickly!"

"They are too big," Amira offered, seeing that almost no damage had been done to the ships now that their shields were up, "A combined effort might weaken them…"

Obi-Wan nodded and gestured for the pilot to put out the call, the gunships turning and firing at the starships, finally managing to weaken it enough to get one final shot in, causing it to explode and fall towards the arena. But as it fell, another attack came from the droids, a massive shot fired up at them, the pilot quickly jerking the gunship to avoid it.

"Look over there!" Obi-Wan called when they saw a different craft start to rise through the smoke that was drifting up from the arena, a Geonosian Speeder taking off across the planet.

"It's Dooku!" Anakin spotted the Count in the cockpit as it passed them.

"We must stop him," Amira looked at Obi-Wan, the man seeming shocked for only a moment when Anakin too turned to him for further instruction instead of shouting orders himself.

He nodded, "Follow him," he turned to the pilot who nodded and set the gunship to follow the speeder.

They raced along after Dooku, when suddenly an attack came at them from behind, two small fighter ships had moved behind them, causing the pilot to divert the ship, causing it to bank up on a steep dune, the craft shaking as it was still hit despite the pilot's efforts but still able to fly on.

"Amira!" Anakin shouted, reaching forward, his reactions quick, standing close enough to grab Amira's hand as she nearly fell out of the ship as it rocked, pulling her back in and into his arms, steadying her.

"I'm fine," she told Anakin, quickly pulling out of his arms, swallowing hard, "Thank you," she glanced at Obi-Wan, breathing out a sigh of relief to see the man hadn't noticed his Padawan's actions as he was staring out the open side of the craft at where Dooku's speeder was moving to land just outside a tower.

"If we catch him we can end this war right now," Obi-Wan stated, turning to the two Padawans, not wanting to take Amira with him, knowing he was not her Master and should not be taking her without Neeva's express permission, but he knew the woman would understand that he would protect her as if she were his own Padawan, and that it was the way of the Jedi to assist each other, "We have a job to do," he decided.

Amira and Anakin grew serious, nodding and gripping their lightsabers, ready.

The moment the gunship set down, the three of them leapt out of it and ran for the tower as well.

~8~

Obi-Wan led Anakin and Amira down a dark corridor of the tower, the three of them following sounds coming from the end of it, the sound of energy powering up, stopping right before the doorway to what appeared to be a hanger where Count Dooku was throwing switches on a control panel across the room, an Interstellar Sailship stationed beside him.

"He's the reason all those Jedi died…" Anakin murmured.

Obi-Wan tensed at that, just knowing what would come next, Anakin would go charging in there, without pause, without hesitation, and launch himself at Dooku in a rage. He turned, about to try and tell his Padawan to wait…

When Anakin fell silent and didn't make a single move more.

Obi-Wan looked back over his shoulder to see that Amira had reached out, her hand on Anakin's arm as he gripped his deactivated lightsaber. His Padawan was looking at her intently as she was returning the gaze just as strong, it almost seemed like Anakin was waiting for her permission, which was…just ridiculous. But when Amira gave the minutest of head shakes, telling Anakin no, he saw his Padawan nod and lower his arm, clearly having been about to raise his saber just as he had feared the boy would. He eyed the two of them as Anakin turned back to look at HIM expectantly and he realized that Anakin was actually waiting for him to give the order on this.

"We'll take him together," he pointed to the two of them, "Anakin, you go in slowly on the right, Amira, the left, I'll take lead, try to shut down his controls while I distract him. We need him trapped."

"Yes, Master," Anakin nodded, Amira giving him a firm nod as well.

It wasn't till the two had split up to start moving away from him that Obi-Wan even realized Amira hadn't actually let go of Anakin but that his Padawan had taken her hand instead that whole time. He gave a moment to glance at his Padawan, praying for strength and hope that nothing had happened or was going to happen between his Padawan and Neeva's. It had been difficult enough to deal with Anakin while he had been smitten with Padmé, for Anakin to form such an attachment to another Jedi…it could not be allowed. But he knew Neeva and he knew her Padawan and he hoped that it would be enough to stem Anakin's attention on the girl, Amira did not seem the sort to be as reckless as his Padawan was (had been?) as to allow something like that to happen.

He shook his head and quickly strode straight towards Dooku, "Dooku!" he shouted, pulling the Count's attention towards himself, Anakin and Amira doing as he'd instructed and starting to move out further on either side of him, giving Dooku a wide berth.

Dooku spun around and threw out a hand, striking Obi-Wan in the chest with a bolt of lightning he had generated from out of nowhere, throwing him back on the ground, winded but conscious, quickly holding up a hand to signal the Padawans not to attack.

"As you can see," Dooku grinned, "My Jedi powers are far beyond yours."

Obi-Wan forced himself back to his feet, his lightsaber activating, "I don't think so!" he called, launching himself at the man as Dooku activated his saber as well, the two locking in combat, one that quickly became apparent to Obi-Wan he was outmatched in for Dooku was truly an expert swordsman, far better skilled than he was.

Amira kept them in sight as she crept around the two dueling Jedi, catching a glance of Anakin as she went. She hurried on, seeing Obi-Wan starting to tire as Dooku sped up his attacks, pushing the Knight to his brink…before managing to get Obi-Wan in the shoulder and thigh in rapid succession, sending him stumbling into the wall and down to the ground, dropping his saber.

"Anakin!" Amira shouted to him, "Defend your Master! I can do this," she nodded at the control panel.

Anakin nodded and ran off, managing to slide his own saber under Dooku's as the Count tried to strike Obi-Wan down.

"That's brave of you, boy," she heard Dooku taunting, "But foolish. I would have thought you'd have learned your lesson."

Obi-Wan panted, looking up at his Padawan, fearing for the boy, knowing how Anakin's anger could rise at taunts to his abilities or lessons…

But Anakin just smirked, "I've learned a few tricks," he told the Count, quickly sliding his foot, which he'd caught behind Dooku's towards him, knocking it out from under the man, sending him not quite falling, but stumbling back, giving him the advantage to launch his attack while Dooku recovered.

Amira tried to focus on the control panel, but she could hear the duel behind her and couldn't help but glance back every so often, needing to be sure Anakin was alright. She had taught him that move, had taught him that his enemy wouldn't play fair and to do the same, but had also, through knowing her it seemed, taught him not to underestimate his opponent or overestimate himself. She could see a caution in his moves, a focus in his eyes. She could even make out how his lips were pursing in an effort not to talk or taunt but to keep silent and focused.

She could hear Dooku talking to him, trying to bait him, remarking on his strong power but also his inexperience. But, to his credit, Anakin didn't react, just fought on, Obi-Wan tossing him his saber to help as he struggled to his feet. But even with two sabers in hand, it wasn't enough, Dooku was a veritable master of the saber and Amira couldn't concentrate any longer, not when Dooku used the Force to send Anakin flying headfirst into a wall, one of his lightsabers falling away as he crumpled. She didn't even hesitate, but turned and ran for them as fast as she could.

She felt something surge through her when she saw Dooku raise his saber to strike at Anakin, in just the right position and with just the right advantage to either cut his arm or his head off entirely. It was arm, familiar, and powerful, amplified by her fear and concern for Anakin and his life, and threw her hand out, pushing the Force through her…

And sending Dooku flying through the air, crashing to the side into another wall, just like he had done to Anakin, save he hit his shoulder instead of head against it.

Unfortunately, all it served to do was make the man angry and turn on her. She knew she had little chance of beating the man, she had seen what he was like with a saber in hand and while she was good, she was not THAT good…but she could buy time, she could buy enough time for help to get there, she was sure she could. So she fought, parrying and slashing and blocking and thrusting, trying to do something, anything, putting all her instinct and focus into this, pushing the concern and terror she felt for Anakin to the side as she kept catching glimpses of him out of the corner of her eye lying there unmoving, not even seeming to be breathing…

She shook her head, narrowing her eyes as she fought on, pressing as hard as she could against Dooku, not holding back. Too much was at stake for her to fail in this, just a little longer, just a little longer…

She stumbled back with a gasp and cry of pain, resisting the instinct to put her hand to her side as Dooku slashed out and caught her in the side, squinting through the tears that had formed in her eyes to see Dooku smirking. Now would be the chance, the only chance she might get, while his guard was down, his arrogance high (a traitorous voice in her head remarked just like Anakin before she crushed it), and she swung out, falling to her knees moments later when the move caused her side to stretch in the most unbearable agony…

But Dooku was screaming…and he was missing three fingers, not on his saber hand, not on his strong side…but it was a disadvantage enough.

Dooku gained a hold of his pain faster than she did, turning his pain to anger as he strode towards her, seeing her down for the count, too weak to defend herself any longer and raised his light saber in his good hand…

When a voice that nearly made Amira cry in relief to hear spoke, "Count Dooku!"

Dooku froze in place, a grin spreading across his face as he turned to see a small green Jedi walking in, "Master Yoda," he gave a bow of the head at that.

Amira looked between the two of them a moment before turning and scrambling as fast as she could towards where Anakin lay, Obi-Wan already there, trying to rouse his Padawan, wise enough to know that if he attempted to engage Dooku once more it would be the end of him and he needed to survive to protect the Padawans.

"Amira," Obi-Wan turned to her, "Stay with him," he ordered her, pulling her closer to where he was, "I must go for aid," he looked towards one of the corridors, "Keep out of the way, keep back, Master Yoda will protect you while I gather the others and your Master."

Amira nodded, swallowing hard, her throat feeling too dry to speak, watching as Obi-Wan hurried off before she painfully dragged Anakin closer to her, closer to the wall, kneeling beside him as she watched Master Yoda facing Dooku down, using the Force to throw objects Dooku tossed at him away, deflecting falling debris as well as the Force Lightning Dooku conjured before locking in a duel of their own. It was…a sight to behold and, had it not been so serious, Amira was sure she would have been watching in more wonder and wistfulness to one day be as superior a dueler as the two before her were they were moving so fast and gracefully and elegantly, with such power and precision she could only hope to achieve a fraction of that in her lifetime. Master Yoda especially displayed an incredible skill and agility, spinning around and flipping in the air, jumping off the walls to strike at Dooku, wearing him out quickly in his attempt to block the numerous blows coming at him.

She gasped, however, when Dooku suddenly turned, using the Force to pull a crane-like piece of machinery to fall towards herself and Anakin. She turned, leaning over Anakin, trying to shield him from the falling object, knowing she didn't even come close to having enough control over the Force to try and stop it and Anakin was unconscious…

But the crane never hit.

She paused a moment before looking over her shoulder to see Master Yoda with his eyes closed, concentrating on the crane, on stopping it…even as Dooku used it as just the right distraction to make it to his ship and start it up, starting to pilot it away. Yoda set the crane just to the side of Amira and Anakin, blocking their sight of him as they were so near the wall, but she could see the ship taking off, flying out of the hanger…the man escaping.

Her attention, however, didn't last long on the ship, but instead turned to Anakin as she heard him groaning.

"Anakin?" she gasped, putting her hands on his shoulders, trying to shake him more awake, her heart racing at the sound, her hands trembling as they clutched at him, her lungs burning as though she were holding her breath, so focused was she on him, the hope of him being alright filling her and equaling the fear she'd felt as seeing him fall, "Anakin!"

"…mira?" Anakin mumbled, blinking slowly as he opened his eyes.

"Thank the Force," she breathed, her voice holding a deep tremor, choking with emotion, "You're ok. You're alive!"

"What…"

He didn't even have a chance to finish his question when Amira's hands flew from his shoulders to his cheeks, tugging his head up as she leaned over…

And pressed a firm kiss to his lips.

Anakin's eyes widened for only a moment before they started to close, shifting his arms to push himself up on his elbows, returning the kiss just as hard, one of his hands moving to touch her cheek as well…

When the sound of their Masters calling for them echoed through the room.

And Amira pulled back, her hands snapping away from him as though burned to fly to her mouth as she stared at him in horror of what had just happened.

"Amira…" he reached out for her.

But she shook her head, almost frantically, her eyes wider than he'd ever seen them, before she scrambled to her feet and_ ran_.

~8~

She knew she should have expected it eventually, but it still made Amira gasp when she opened the door to her room at the knock against it and saw Anakin standing on the other side, smiling at her. She hadn't seen him since Geonosis, having gone with her Master to return Senator Amidala back to Naboo, the woman had been distant with her, overly formal and polite, but eyed her oddly each time she thought she was unobserved. SHE hadn't paid it much mind, not that she could, her thoughts had been consumed with Anakin…with what she'd done and how bad it was, how wrong, how foolish it had been, how guilty she felt, how disappointed her Master would be if she knew. It had gotten to the point that she hadn't said a word nearly the entire trip, worrying her Master whenever she tried to make conversation and her Padawan merely gave her the shortest of answers it weighed so heavily on her mind.

She had managed to play it off as though a lingering stress from the battle, the start of the 'Clone War' as the other Jedi had taken to calling it. Apparently the white-clad warriors that had come to help were an army that had been cloned from the Bounty Hunter that had cornered her and Anakin. Her Master had understood, it was truly the largest battle she'd been a part of in her training and to see so many Jedi dying around her, their numbers cut down from 200 to 20 had been jarring and would leave anyone needing time to process.

It was why her Master had allowed her back to her room to rest once they returned, choosing to go give the Council her report of the Senator's return alone.

She had hoped to be alone as well, but she should have known, the moment that word went around that she and her Master were back that Anakin would seek her out. She'd run off at the sound of her Master's voice on Geonosis, directing them to where Anakin still was, remarking that he'd woken but that he had hit his head very hard, his Master going with him for the two of them to be treated for their injuries, her Master taking her to see to her injuries as well. Injuries she hadn't even been affected by with how numb and rigid and filled with fear she'd been at the time, not till it was being treated did it start to sting again.

"An…" she cleared her throat, cursing the way it had almost come out breathless, and schooled her voice to be more neutral, "Skywalker."

"How's your side?" he asked her, not greeting her back, but the concern in his voice made up for it.

"Fine," she answered shortly, before biting her lip, knowing it was rude that he should ask about her and not her for him, "Your head?"

"Fine," he mimicked, smirking slightly, "No side-effects," he added, "No lingering pains, nothing at all that the medics said I should watch out for. Including amnesia," he gave her a meaningful look, "I remember Geonosis," he told her after a moment of her silence, "I remember that we…"

"Made a mistake," she cut in.

If she had expected him to frown or grow angry at that, she was very surprised when he just smiled and nodded, "I thought you'd say something like that. So I meditated on what I should do about that."

She stared at him a moment, before silently cursing under her breath. She'd expected to come back, be confronted with this, tell him it was wrong, and have him blow up at her, just like he had when Obi-Wan had sent him back and prevented him from being on a mission with the Senator. She'd expected him to get angry, to yell, to…do anything except actually meditate on it, to stand before her so…calm. But this wasn't the same Anakin that she'd met in the training room that was raging like a petulant child that had been denied playing with his favorite toy. He had changed, in such little time, he'd started to change…SHE had started to change him.

And now she had to face the consequences of that.

Now she had to be confronted with a man that had taken time to think about what he wanted to say, to ponder it from a new perspective, to consider what her feelings would be and why she'd feel it instead of assuming things. This was all her fault that the petulant child wasn't raging about losing time with his toy but a man that was maturely facing someone he considered to be his equal.

"We cannot _do_ anything about it, Skywalker," Amira stated, her voice taking on the firm but formal quality that she so often associated with speaking to her Master or other Jedi or those that she was meant to help leave a good impression of the Order with, "We both made a commitment to the Jedi Order, a commitment not to be broken, a commitment that means sacrifice."

"Love should never be sacrificed," Anakin countered.

"Love?" she wanted to scoff at it, wanted so badly to make it sound like a scoff, but she couldn't muster more than a quiet question at it.

Because it couldn't be love, it couldn't be, not so soon, not so quickly, not at all.

But Anakin just nodded.

"No," she shook her head, "It is not love. We are forbidden to love…"

"We are forbidden to form attachment," Anakin corrected, smiling even more, truly sounding as though he'd thought of all her counters to this, "Possession is forbidden. Many things are forbidden, but compassion? The unconditional love that entails? That is central to our way life."

"Attachment," she reminded him, "Possession. They are both qualities of love. This…this attachment between us…"

"So you do admit there _is_ one between us," he almost sounded like he was about to laugh in joy at that unwitting admission, "I know there's certainly passion, that kiss…"

"Anakin!" she shouted, cutting in, "It is _forbidden_. All of it. And that is ALL that matters!"

"YOU matter," Anakin countered quietly, "You matter to me, Amira."

"Well I shouldn't."

"And I know I matter to you," he continued as though she hadn't said anything, "Attachment is forbidden, yet we are expected to form a loyalty to each other, to the Order, to our Padawans and Masters, to life in general. We would not fight so hard to defend it, we would not uphold our Codes to the extent we do, if there were no attachment to it. Passion…is that not also dedication? We dedicate our lives, everything we have to the Order, to our training, to those we protect. That is passion. Our Code is a paradox, but love is not. It is simple."

"It is _complicated_," she shook her head, "It makes _everything_ complicated. It makes everything dangerous, especially for a Jedi!"

"My love for you is simple," Anakin told her, reaching out and curling a finger around her Padawan braid a moment, letting it sift out of his fingers with a smile, "It is anything but dangerous."

This time she did scoff, "You don't love me, Anakin."

"I do."

"_No_, you don't."

"I really _do_."

"You've only known me…"

"Long enough," he cut in, "Not a second goes by that you aren't in my thoughts. Not a moment that you're away from me do I not want you back beside me, in my sight. And when I see you, when I think of you, my stomach flutters, my mouth goes dry, my hands sweat, my tongue gets tied, my mind goes blank and I feel like the world is spinning around me and the only thing in focus, the only thing still and grounding me, is you. Your smile leaves me breathless, your touch," he reached out and took her hand, "Makes my heart race," he shifted his hold so that his fingers were just barely at her wrist, feeling how fast her own heart was racing at his words, as though it were proof that she felt the exact same way, "And just thinking of your lips, of the kiss we shared, these last few days has driven me to the point of madness."

Amira swallowed hard, forcing herself to lightly tug her hand away from him, he was too close, his presence too consuming, everything he was saying…she had felt it, and if _that_ was truly what love felt like, all those things that she too had felt for him…no, she looked away from him, it wasn't love, it _couldn't_ be.

"It will pass," she insisted, needing it to be true, needing it to be a phase. It had to be. This could NOT happen.

"I don't think it will," he shrugged, as though he were helpless to stop it, "I thought myself in love with Senator Amidala," Amira felt a faint niggle in the back of her mind that he'd taking to calling the woman Senator Amidala instead of Padmé now, "For 10 years of my life, from the briefest of meetings as a child, barely knowing a thing about her," he smiled, his eyes so soft that Amira's breath caught in her throat at the full effect of it directed on her, the care, the genuine emotion and dedication in his eyes, all for _her_, "I know YOU, Amira, better than I have ever known another," he gave a soft laugh, "I know you more in 10 days than I know my own Master," he jokingly twisted his words from earlier, for how he trusted her because she just _knew_ him, "I know your mind, your heart, your spirit, and I will love you many times more than 10 years for it. I know you're not ready to accept what you feel…"

"I _don't_ feel anything," she tried to insist, but the smile that grew on his face told her all she needed to know, he'd seen right through her lie.

"But I am NOT going to give up," he promised her, "Not on anything, not on you. I will still see you to your Trials, I won't turn back on that. I will always be there to catch you when you fall, that will never change. And whether or not you admit it, whether or not the day comes where we are ever allowed to be…I will never give up on you."

"That day will _never_ come," she told him, forcing her voice hard, "We will _never_ be. I do _not_ love you."

"Maybe not," he spoke, his own voice taking on a harder tone, but one that spoke of determination than harshness, "And maybe it will. I know what I feel, Amira, and I know how you feel as well," he looked right in her eyes, "I see it in your eyes, I sense it in your touch, I felt it in your kiss. One day...one day I _will_ prove it to you."

Amira could say nothing else to that, to the promise in his eyes and voice, could hardly breathe as he stood before her, so she just shook her head and slowly stepped back from her door, allowing it to shut, cutting off Anakin's determined face from her view as she let her head fall against the cold metal, listening as she heard him walk away and closed her eyes. She had been so foolish, so incredibly_ foolish_, to think that what was happening between Anakin and herself had been what she'd tried to convince herself it was. She had been wrong to try and think it was merely companionship, being fellow Padawans. Her actions on Geonosis had proven everything completely wrong.

She slammed a curled fist against her door in agitation, frustration with herself. What had she been _thinking_!? Kissing Anakin? She hadn't, she knew she hadn't been thinking at all. She'd reacted to seeing him on the ground, to knowing he'd come so close to being harmed or even killed by Count Dooku. She'd seen him lying there, unmoving, not even sure if he was breathing and…when he'd started to wake, when she saw his eyes shining up at her…she hadn't even thought, hadn't hesitated. And it was_ wrong_, it was _so_ wrong, she had broken so many of the Jedi teachings in doing that, she had jeopardized not only her own chances of becoming a Jedi Knight or even a Master one day but…she'd jeopardized _Anakin's_ as well. She clearly had jeopardized his future, because she knew him, knew what he'd do if he had even a glimmer of hope that something existed between them, she had seen the small signs as they grew closer, how he felt for her. In the end, she had seen the look in his eyes as he gazed at her, the very same look he often got when he spoke of the Senator but much deeper, more profound than it had ever been.

She knew what her actions would do to him, what they'd make him feel, and she'd done it anyway. She hadn't been able to stop herself and now this? He had made a promise to her, he was not going to give up on her, on _them_, not on her chances at the Trials, nor on his hopes that, somehow, they might be together one day or even that she would admit there was something between them.

She brought her curled fist to her face, wiping at a traitorous tear that fell. She shouldn't be weeping over this, she shouldn't be affected. She should feel glad that she had put her foot down, that she was denying this chance between them. She should feel relieved that she was protecting Anakin from the pull the Dark Side could use against him if he let this attachment grow and something happened to her by refusing his proclamations of love. She should feel_ proud_ of herself for sticking to the Code and following everything her Master had taught her in refusing to allow something to happen between them, proud that she had told him she did not love him, that she was determined to make him believe that. She should feel all of that!

…then why was her heart breaking inside of her?

No, she KNEW why it was.

As much as she tried to fool herself, she knew it wasn't friendship she felt for Anakin, _not_ _at all_, and it had the potential to destroy them both if she let it. Already she felt like she was being torn in two, there was this...pull...towards Anakin, but at the same time everything inside her was pushing her towards what she'd spent her life dedicated to, the Code, the Order, becoming a Jedi, something she knew Anakin felt as well so she couldn't understand how he could still think it was possible for them to be when everything they were trying to become was against it!

She let out a breath at that, shaking her head against the door as the weight of it fully fell on her because she _couldn't_ let it happen, she couldn't let anything happen, she had to do her best to stop it, to deny it, to crush it...for Anakin, to protect him, to keep him from the Dark Side, she couldn't let this move any farther than it was, grow any stronger than it was despite his claims.

She had to find someway to stop it, she was just...she was afraid it was already too late if Anakin's promise was anything to go on.

Slowly she sank down to the floor on her knees, her mind replaying the kiss over and over, because it was her fault, all of it, even reaching out to Anakin and just talking to him had been on her, but the kiss...oh that kiss the catalyst of this entire mess.

What had she _done_?

To be continued...in...Rise of the Chosen One!

A/N: :) I can't believe the story's over! O.O But we'll be getting the next story in only a few hours ;) I can't say just yet whether the Chosen One will rise on the Light or Dark side of the Force though. Amira is very determined _not_ to be with Anakin despite his own determination to be with her...it may or may not drive him to the Dark Side...we'll have to read that story to find out ;) I can say we haven't seen the last of Padmé or Neeva either ;)

I hope Anakin's moment with Amira at the end was believable and realistic. I see him as being both rash but also thoughtful, he's fully convinced he loves Amira and he's actually considered what her reaction would be (we'll see more on both their thoughts on that in the next story), he's done exactly what she taught him to do and is even using her own advice on how to deal with Obi-Wan against her. He also struck me as the sort to feel things very powerfully and wholly, once the love has formed, it's a powerful feeling to him and, maybe, he gets a bit ahead of himself with how he declares himself lol. Instead of getting offended she keeps denying it, he's just determined to wait for her to come around, because he knows she does feel the same but won't admit it. It's sort of come full circle, that he reacted so harshly to being denied the chance to be with Padmé and now the same thing is happening, worse because Amira is a fellow Padawan he can see any time he wants within reason, and he's taken all Amira's taught him and made him think of and put it towards a new method of winning someone's love :)

I just want to take a minute to say thank you, to all of you, to anyone that read/reviewed/favorited/followed/anything this story. I was really SO nervous to post not just a Star Wars story but an Anakin/OC one because I know how passionate the fans of Star Wars are and I was truly nervous to post and feel like I'd ruined something that so many people held dear to them. All of you and your encouragement and gentle pointers about the story have been so wonderful and I am SO happy that you've enjoyed this first story so far :') It really means a lot that what I set out to do, to put a little spin on the movies but still remain true to the overall spirit of it, has worked out so far, and I hope that I can continue to do so in the next story and do you all proud :)

Some notes on reviews...

We'll see more of their Masters noticing something going on in the next story ;) There'll be quite a bit of debate and comment on the two ;)

I can't say if Anakin will still become Vader just yet, I can't quite imagine Episodes 4-6 without him either, but then, at the same time, it might be an interesting challenge to see what happens if Anakin was there against the Dark Side :)

I can say Anakin's very determined to see the relationship develop, whether Amira will let it or be able to hold out is another story ;)

I try to post in the first A/N how many chapters a story will be, this one is 10 and so will the next one :) I tend to, for some reason, make my movie-stories 10 chapters :)

Yup, it'll still be 10 chapters, with the chaos of the battle, it sort of ended up being a blur to Amira and a bit shorter to describe to add to the chaotic feel of it :)

Anakin finally told her :) His reaction to Padmé was a bit dimmed here due to the battle, but I hope his little 'Senator' instead of 'Padmé' moment helped, we'll see them interacting more in the next story, might even have a bit of a reversed situation with who's pining after who ;)

I think Mace only told Anakin to stay where he was because Padmé was with him and their priority was to protect her and keep her safe, not take her into danger or leave her unattended or protected :) Here, the Council was more focused on getting a rescue attempt together and Anakin wasn't guarding a Senator :) Oh Neeva was NOT pleased with Padmé, she essentially started to steal a ship to go after Obi-Wan to help and Neeva just barely managed to get on the ship before it left and, as she was assigned to not really interfere with Padmé's life but just step in if danger appeared, she was in a tricky spot for how to stop her :)

I think it's possible Amira could become a Sith Lord if the situation or events go the right (or wrong) way. I think, just my opinion, that a good amount of Jedi could be tempted or turn to the Dark if the right trap was set, if the right losses and tragedies were made, if they were pushed and manipulated in the right way :(

The reunion definitely pushed their relationship on, but also caused it a major set back }:) We'll see more of Padmé in the next story, but as for what she'll be doing, trying to get closer to Anakin or merely being a friend is yet to be seen ;) Obi-Wan will definitely be more involved in the Padawans and observing them ;)

Padme got there by overhearing Obi-Wan's message and wanting to help him and negotiate with his captors. She has her own starship and she felt guilty he got caught trying to keep her safe (and also a little because he's Anakin's Master) :).


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